Brian Johnston, Director of Operational Excellence at award winning food company Moy Park gives the inside track on what to expect when you join the team as an Operations Apprentice.
“Putting it simply, Operations is the term used for the manufacturing and processing of products. At Moy Park, we have top class facilities across the UK & Europe producing high quality tasty products,” explains Brian.
No two days are the same
Brian leads Moy Park’s Operational Excellence team and is well placed to describe the working life of an operational apprentice.
“Operations is all about teamwork, you will be part of a team in one of our facilities producing safe, high-quality products. Working in operations is fast paced and exciting as the food and drink industry is constantly growing. As an apprentice you will start off as a Production Operative to develop a sound understanding of our operations with opportunities to quickly progress to a Machine Operator, Process Controller, Team Leader, Supervisor, and a Production Manager.”
“Each day brings new opportunities to learn and develop. You’ll start off your day by ensuring you’re wearing the correct PPE and safety equipment for the job in hand, then you’ll be assigned to a specific line within the factory where you’ll be given tasks to complete such as inspecting products to ensure they are of a high standard, loading materials onto the production line and operating some of the world’s most advanced food manufacturing equipment.”
Career prospects
Brian says the opportunities are endless at Moy Park with fantastic career prospects given the company’s position as one of Europe’s leading poultry producers and a top UK food company. “The skills you acquire are relevant and transferable across all industries”, says Brian. “So even if you enter the food industry working in an operations environment there’s nothing to stop you continuing your career in another.”
“It’s an exciting environment, the food industry is fast-paced and will always keep you on your toes. Chances are you’ll be working with innovative technologies every day to create products that will be on the supermarket shelves tomorrow!”
“Ultimately, being happy in your career is the most important aspect and we know that our team members working in operations are happy and thriving. How do we know this? Because so many stay working in our industry throughout their entire careers!”
“For me working as part of a team is fantastic and comes with a great sense of reward. Every day you have done something worthwhile, helping feed the nation with great quality tasty products is so rewarding and satisfying. Every day is different with new products being launched and advanced in how we create products. The sense of achievement every day when you reach production targets and deliver customer orders is hugely satisfying.”
Top tips
Check out Brian’s top tips for those interested in an apprenticeship – from team working to goal setting!
Be organised - Use a diary and be organised with your daily tasks. This can help you develop good habits. You’ll be surprised how much more you can do when you organise your daily schedule rather than just doing things on the fly.
Never stop learning - One of the most powerful things to advance your career or in any circumstance for that matter is knowledge. There are lots of things to learn – it doesn’t always mean reading books – keep yourself open to new knowledge and learning day in and day out in the workplace.
Set goals - Take care of your assignments and show your boss you have enthusiasm for what you’re doing.
Be a team player - Don’t be selfish. Everyone will appreciate a person who works well alongside other people rather than someone who works alone. This is one of the most significant pieces of advice and tips to become a successful leader in the future.
Speak up - Expressing yourself is one of the most important pieces of advice and tips that you will always get from every successful professional. Confidence is something that can take you places, and confidence equates to more people listening to you, which in turn can make you more reliable. At the same time, speaking up and being confident can mean you care about your job and that you’re taking things seriously.
Enjoy yourself - Last but by no means least - enjoy what you do! You will be much more successful in your career if you enjoy it.
Find out more about apprenticeships at Moy Park: https://moypark.com/es/careers/early-careers-1/apprenticeships-new
