FoodGrads Podcast Ep.01 – Supporting Students & Graduates Start their Career in the Food & Beverage Industry with FoodGrads Founder Nicole Gallace

FoodGrads is an interactive platform for the Food & Beverage Industry focused on closing the gap between students/recent graduates, educators and employers in food service & food processing. Our mission is to support the next generation of food industry professionals. Our broader priority is to attract forward thinking, socially conscious people to pursue a career in food. An exclusive community of ‘food’ minded professionals who collaborate and aspire to a healthier world.

Nicole Gallace is a friend, a mentor and a co-worker who I have had the pleasure to have known for years. She is also the creator of this awesome platform which has given me the opportunity to share how great the food and beverage industries are.

This is episode 1 of the FoodGrads Podcast the podcast which takes you on a fascinating journey in to the hearts and minds of the amazing people who work in the food, beverage and hospitality industries. From Food Scientists to Farmers, Chefs to the Plant, QA Technicians to Dietitians, R&D to Sales, no matter what your passion–there’s something for everyone in Food–we’ll help you find it!

We share insights from professionals at all stages in their careers. Find out what they do, why they do it and how they change the world one day at a time. Featuring weekly episodes every Monday with your host Veronica Hislop this podcast will showcase careers and opportunities you didn’t even know existed!

In this episode, we dive into learning about the exciting world of FoodGrads. We explore what FoodGrads is, how it came about, why the food industry is a great place to work and the campus ambassador program.

We hope you enjoy the first episode!

Show Notes

What is FoodGrads?

• Nicole was a recruiter in the food industry and a lot of grads were graduating and asking for help. There was no place to send them for help and she saw a gap and decided to start up her own platform to support these students.

• Interactive platform to help support students and grads and it is always evolving. We have a job broad, training section, content creation. But FoodGrads is also there to provide support and to create a community. Both when you graduate and as you go through the career.

How is LinkedIn different then FoodGrads? How do you be “active” on FoodGrads as a student?

• FoodGrads gets you involved early on, going to events, speaking to people, interviewing people for a blog.
• Campus Ambassador program
• Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Webinar- Entering the Job Market as a New Food Scientist
• LinkedIn is too huge and it is was not created for students and grads. FoodGrads is focused on the student. FoodGrads is smaller and helps give you the leg up to connect with other individuals.

What is the FoodGrads Campus Ambassador program?

• Campus Ambassador program is very focused on helping you do what you want to do. Give the opportunities to explore different careers
• Used to figure out what you want to do in the food industry
• Show proof that you care about the food
• Helps to support you in showing how great the industry
• Gives you opportunities to connect with the food industry
• Veronica was able to help meet other people like the Steam Whistle Career Showcase in partnership with Taste Your Future
• Focused on building a community Veronica met so many like-minded students like Yenci, Jennie, Jonathan, Geoff, Fatema

How to get into contact with Nicole and Veronica

Nicole: Nicole@foodgrads.com

Veronica: Veronica@foodgrads.com

The FoodGrads E-Book: Career Path in Food and Beverage

• Explains 50 career paths in the food processing and foodservice industry
• Originally comes from the blog posts
• The book came from Veronica wanting to know what she wants to do when she graduates. There was a lack of resources out there
• Book was sponsored and content provided by Sysco, Maple Lodge Farms, Gay Lea Foods, Food Processors of Canada, Conestoga Meats, Dr.Oekter

Nicole and I talk about how many entry-level jobs are not as appealing as you would like and that is the reality of things. There is a lot of opportunities for you to move around and no one is expecting you to do that. There are well-paid positions. You can work your wait up to well-paying jobs in the industry. The industry has a bias for you to start in the lower positions so you can learn the industry.

What are some reasons that students should go into the industry? Are there jobs out there?

• Nicole chose the food industry because she liked the people the best. Everyone is down to Earth and it is a nurturing industry
• Nicole lost mother in-law her to cancer and found it odd that the the medical team didn’t speak more about what she should be eating

We talk about how processed foods are vilified and FoodGrads is trying to show the truth about the industry. It is full of people who care and want to be innovative.

Culinary Innovation and Food Technology (Co-op)

Adam Yee

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