That's A Food Job!

FoodGrads
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No matter what your passion is, there's a career for everyone in food—and we're here to help you find it! On this podcast, we interview professionals across the food processing sector to uncover the stories behind their unique roles Discover what they do, why they do it and how they are shaping the world of food. Whether you're a student figuring out your next steps, a young professional seeking career guidance, or an industry veteran exploring new opportunities, this podcast offers valuable insights to help you navigate your career journey. Join host Veronica Hislop as she speaks with experts from all corners of the food industry. From food scientists to farmers, plant managers to programmers, food safety technicians to skilled trades, supply chain managers to sales, we'll explore a wide range of exciting careers. We're here to celebrate food industry professionals and proudly say—That's a Food Job!

  1. Sep 6

    Co-Founders of the World Food Forum Quebec Chapter & Former Director of MYAD with Cate Laskey, Laia Charles Saigne and Jeanne Gonelle

    Cate Laskey is Co-Founder of the World Food Forum Quebec Chapter and a former Agrifood Systems Ad Hoc Delegate with the McGill Youth Advisory Delegation (MYAD). Laia Charles Saigne is also a Co-Founder of the World Food Forum Quebec Chapter and a former CSocD64 and UNFCITC INC4 Delegate with MYAD. Jeanne Gonelle is the former Director of MYAD. MYAD is a youth-led NGO that has held Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council since 2006, working to bridge the gap between decision-makers and youth.  WFF is an FAO youth initiative that brings together young leaders to tackle food security and sustainability challenges through local chapters. In this podcast episode we dig into their story, what the WFF and MYAD actually are, and explore why young people belong in the conversation about our food system, even before they're officially employed in it. This is part one of a two part episode. Next week we're back with more members of the chapter, Sienna Corral and Lila Sonmaz, to continue the conversation. --- Shownotes --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 01:59 - What Is the World Food Forum 03:08 - Founding the Quebec Youth Chapter 05:46 - Chapter Goals & Breaking Silos 09:38 - Agri-Food in Quebec Explained 11:54 - Defining Food Insecurity 16:43 - Why They Got Involved 23:05 - NGOs & Policy Explained 29:07 - What Advocacy Actually Looks Like 35:43 - Barriers to Youth Participation 37:50 - How Policies Actually Get Made 40:39 - Measuring Real Impact 44:03 - Proudest Moments 52:53 - Advice for Getting Involved --- 📙 Career Guides 💭 Career Advice --- CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS 💼 Cate Laskey LinkedIn 💼 Jeanne Gonelle LinkedIn 💼 Laia Charles LinkedIn 💼Quebec Youth Chapter of the World Food Forum (FAO) LinkedIn 💼McGill Youth Advisory Delegation LinkedIn 🌐 World Food Forum Website 🌐McGill Youth Advisory Delegation Website --- CONNECT WITH US 📸 Instagram 🎵 TikTok 💼 LinkedIn

  2. Aug 30

    President/Founder of Women in Food Safety and Sr. Food Safety & Quality Advisor with Melody Yu

    Melody Yu is the President and Founder of Women in Food Safety, a nonprofit community supporting female food safety professionals, and she also runs her own food safety consulting business, MarsMel LLC. Note at 7:20 Melody meant to say 7 principles and 12 steps  --- Shownotes --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Nothing You Do Is Wasted 00:28 – Welcome Back, Melody 01:26 – Life Since Round One 03:38 – Going All In on WIFS 04:22 – Mapping a Food Safety Career 05:20 – Starting in R&D 07:45 – Learning the SQF Code 10:08 – Visa Limbo and Consulting Years 13:01 – Find What You Like 13:39 – Opportunities for Today's Students 14:38 – Stay or Go? Her Checklist 17:42 – Fitting In vs. Belonging 19:00 – Certifications Worth Getting 20:04 – Try Everything While You're Young 22:35 – Why She Founded WIFS 23:17 – The Food Science Club Moment 25:34 – Bridging Academia and Industry 27:39 – Two New Global Chapters 29:44 – How Members Find Solutions Together 32:20 – 1,700 Members and Counting 35:33 – What "Middle Management" Really Means 37:29 – What's Next for WIFS 39:52 – How Students Can Get Involved --- 📙 Career Guides 💭 Career Advice --- CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 💼 Melody Yu LinkedIn 💼 Women in Food Safety LinkedIn 🌐 Women in Food Safety Website --- CONNECT WITH US 📸 Instagram 🎵 TikTok 💼 LinkedIn

  3. Aug 8

    Manager of Features and Education of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair with Paige Mawson

    Paige Mawson is Manager of Features and Education at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, a 104-year-old event that draws around 300,000 visitors annually to downtown Toronto. In this episode, Paige reveals how one of Canada's most iconic events is bridging city life and rural tradition through unforgettable experiences, hands-on learning, and storytelling that sparks curiosity. Discover how she leverages her museum studies background to transform the fair into a living, breathing educational hub that connects millions to our food system. --- Shownotes --- AgCareers is on a mission to provide global talent solutions in agriculture and food. They strive to "Feed the World with Talent" in the industries they serve. Their passion for agriculture is evident in their investment of time and resources in engaging with candidates and employers in the industry. Visit AgCareers.com to explore career opportunities and build your future in agriculture. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 00:58 - What the Royal Is 05:07 - Connecting Country and City 09:27 - Year-Round Planning Cycle 11:49 - Paige's Collaborative Role 13:16 - Designing Educational Programming 17:28 - Paige's Career Path 19:26 - Common Misconceptions 20:43 - AgCareers Sponsor Break 21:48 - Where to Start: Local Agricultural Fairs 25:23 - Roles Beyond Farming 27:00 - Transferable Skills in Agri-Food 29:48 - Paige's Royal Highlights 31:20 - Champion Showcase and Food at the Fair 33:35 - Getting Involved: 4-H, AgScape, Farm Tours 35:55 - One Takeaway for Listeners 37:19 - Tickets and What's Coming at the 2026 Royal --- 📙 Career Guides 💭 Career Advice --- CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 💼 Paige Mawson LinkedIn 💼 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair LinkedIn 🌐 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Website CONNECT WITH US 📸 Instagram 🎵 TikTok 💼 LinkedIn

  4. Aug 1

    Quality Assurance and Regulatory Manager and Consultant, Aparajhitha Sudarsan

    Aparajhitha Sudarshan is a Quality and Regulatory Manager in pet food manufacturing and the founder of Food Strategy Consulting, where she helps small and medium food businesses with compliance, training, and food safety systems. In today's episode, we talk about the 80/20 rule of food safety leadership, how to build soft skills nobody teaches you in school, and practical ways students can network at conferences without it feeling forced. --- Shownotes --- 🎵 Music: 'Piano Sway' (Intro A - 4 seconds) by Jay Man / OurMusicBox (our-music-box.com) --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 01:41 - About Apara's Food Job 02:59 - Foundations of Food Safety 03:56 - Building Team Culture 05:50 - A Typical Day on the Floor 09:26 - Pre-Op Conversations 11:06 - The Soft Skill Nobody Teaches 15:44 - Most Surprising Part of the Job 17:46 - Her Career Path 20:10 - Comparing Industries 22:22 - Practicing Soft Skills Early 24:05 - What Is Toastmasters? 27:56 - Reframing Mistakes 30:34 - Conference Networking Advice 40:14 - Low-Stakes Ways to Start 42:27 - Closing Thoughts --- 📙 Career Guides 💭 Career Advice --- CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 💼 Aparajhitha Sudarshan LinkedIn 💼 Food Strategy Consulting LinkedIn 🌐 Food Strategy Consulting Website --- CONNECT WITH US 📸 Instagram 🎵 TikTok 💼 LinkedIn

  5. Jul 17

    Academic Director and Founder of Toronto Metropolitan University's Diversity Institute, Dr. Wendy Cukier

    Dr. Wendy Cukier is Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Ted Rogers School of Management and Founder of the Diversity Institute, a research centre with 80 staff and hubs across the country studying skills, technology, and inclusion. In today's episode, we talk about why agriculture rarely comes up in conversations about entrepreneurship, the succession crisis facing Canadian farms, and how community gardens can be a real first step into an agriculture career. --- Shownotes --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro 00:25 – Meet Dr. Wendy Cukier 05:06 – A Day in Her Career 08:32 – Breaking the Farmer Stereotype 12:22 – Career Openings from Succession 16:41 – A Non-Traditional Path In 17:57 – Research Students Can Use 20:00 – Spotting Gaps as Opportunity 23:56 – Volunteer Your Way In 28:02 – Where AI Jobs Are Growing 31:30 – Skills You Need Now 35:07 – Where to Aim Your Career 38:43 – Advice for Your Next Step --- 📙 Career Guides 💭 Career Advice --- CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 💼 Dr. Wendy Cukier LinkedIn 🌐 Diversity Institute Website CONNECT WITH US 📸 Instagram 🎵 TikTok 💼 LinkedIn

  6. Jul 5

    Rainmaker and Co-Founder with Jake Karls, Mid-Day Squares

    Jake Karls is Co-Founder and Chief Rainmaker at Midday Squares, a Better-For-You chocolate and snacking brand now sold in over 10,000 stores across North America. In today's episode, we talk about what it actually looks like to build a career on relationships instead of resumes, how to network without an agenda, and why your story matters more than you think, even if you don't feel like you have one yet. --- Shownotes --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro 00:20 – Meet Jake Karls 07:37 – Networking Without Feeling Fake 10:39 – Why Your Resume Isn't Enough 12:30 – Finding What Makes You, You 14:16 – Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking 17:56 – Mentorship You Already Have Access To 20:39 – Using Social Media For Good 21:44 – What To Say At A Networking Event 24:46 – What Actually Makes A Good Story 27:30 – Why Facts Alone Don't Land 28:38 – Dealing With Online Haters 30:22 – What's Next For Midday Squares 34:54 – Final Advice For Students --- Opening Song by "Track Title(s)'' Jay Man - OurMusicBox  https://www.our-music-box.com    / ourmusicbox   --- 📙 Career Guides 💭 Career Advice --- CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 💼 Jake Karls LinkedIn 💼 Midday Squares LinkedIn 🌐 Midday Squares Website CONNECT WITH US 📸 Instagram 🎵 TikTok 💼 LinkedIn

  7. Jun 21

    Plant Manager with Tony Wong, 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters

    Tony Wong is the Plant Manager at 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters, a specialty coffee roastery in Vancouver that supplies retail chains, independent cafes, and a growing e-commerce operation across Canada. In this episode, we talk about what plant management actually looks like in a food and beverage manufacturing setting, how speciality coffee is actually made and how a food science background in quality can lead you into a path in operations. --- Shownotes --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro  02:21 - About Tony's Food Job 04:36 - What Are KPIs? 06:00 - How Coffee Beans Are Processed 09:23 - Quality Control and Cupping 11:40 - About Coffee Roasting 17:00 - Quality and Safety Above Profits 19:23 - Tony's Career Path: QA to Operations 21:37 - Why He Stayed in Operations 24:01 - Food Safety Background as an Asset 26:17 - Skills Needed in His Role 35:37 - Role Evolution and Financial Skills 38:01 - Learning from Subject Matter Experts 40:24 - Networking and Asking Questions 41:50 - Advice to His Younger Self --- 📙 Career Guides 💭 Career Advice --- CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 💼 Tony Wong LinkedIn 💼 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters LinkedIn 🌐 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters Website CONNECT WITH US 📸 Instagram 🎵 TikTok 💼 LinkedIn

  8. May 16

    Senior Human Resources Manager with Olga Cenic, Voortman Bakery | HR Mini-series

    Veronica Hislop sits down with Olga Cenic, HR Manager at Voortman Bakery, to talk resumes, interviews, mentorship, and the overlooked ways students can break into food manufacturing - all in part three of FoodGrads' HR mini series! Olga Cenic is the HR Manager at Voortman Bakery - a 75-year-old cookie and wafer manufacturer in Burlington, Ontario, and home to the number one sugar-free wafer in North America. --- Shownotes --- De Lacy Executive Recruitment offers professional recruitment services for employers and candidates in agriculture and food. As a candidate, De Lacy will provide career development advice, career consulting, as well as preparation for interview success. Open communication, confidentiality, and complete transparency are a priority for De Lacy consultants — check out De Lacy Executive Recruitment for more information on exciting opportunities! --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Episode Intro 02:57 - What HR Looks For In New Hires 03:43 - LinkedIn Strategy 05:00 - Foot in the Door 06:36 - About Voortman Bakery 09:01 - Culture & COVID 11:49 - Co-op Programs 14:11 - Sanitation Crew Opportunity 16:28 - Temporary Agencies Explained 21:34 - Resume Tips 29:33 - What Is Mentorship? 38:00 - Interview Tips 40:52 - Questions to Ask 43:00 - Following Up After Interviews 45:00 - Assessing Company Culture 49:12 - Final Advice --- 📙 Career Guides 💭 Career Advice --- CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 💼 Olga Cenic LinkedIn 💼 Voortman Cookies LinkedIn 🌐 Voortman Bakery Website CONNECT WITH US 📸 Instagram 🎵 TikTok 💼 LinkedIn

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About

No matter what your passion is, there's a career for everyone in food—and we're here to help you find it! On this podcast, we interview professionals across the food processing sector to uncover the stories behind their unique roles Discover what they do, why they do it and how they are shaping the world of food. Whether you're a student figuring out your next steps, a young professional seeking career guidance, or an industry veteran exploring new opportunities, this podcast offers valuable insights to help you navigate your career journey. Join host Veronica Hislop as she speaks with experts from all corners of the food industry. From food scientists to farmers, plant managers to programmers, food safety technicians to skilled trades, supply chain managers to sales, we'll explore a wide range of exciting careers. We're here to celebrate food industry professionals and proudly say—That's a Food Job!

Information

  • Creator
    FoodGrads
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    136
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    That's A Food Job!