Food & Beverage Services

Ever wondered how all the produce you see in the supermarket gets there? Or who supplies your favourite local chippy? What about those neatly packaged meals you get on an aeroplane?

Behind the food we consume is a huge world of services, production and manufacturing – all geared towards getting food from farms to plate – in a wide variety of ways!

Food and beverage is a major industry sector for the Australian economy, forming one of Australia’s largest manufacturing industries.

Sub-sectors are diverse – from multinationals producing large volume fast-moving consumer goods to smaller players with the flexibility to meet the demand for niche gourmet items.

The industry is internationally focused, with exports to over 200 markets.

In terms of career pathways and opportunities, you could look to explore:

  • Transport & Storage
  • Supply Chain
  • Food Processing
  • Food Packaging
  • Research & Developing
  • Quality Control
  • Breweries & Distilleries

The food and beverage services sector is an important part of Australia’s overall food production and has been growing at a healthy rate over the last decade.

This includes new opportunities to meet the increasing demand for organic, healthy and ethically produced goods. Sustainable packaging and planet-conscious innovations that support the industry are also huge areas of interest and growth.

There are multiple ways to get started in the industry, depending on the type of role you’d ultimately like to land.

This includes trainee and apprenticeships, degree pathways, and direct employment.

What You Could Do

This is a huge question to answer as there is SO much you could explore, but we’re going to try and do our best to showcase some of the most diverse opportunities available in the industry!

Here’s a look at some of the unique jobs you could pursue:

Quality Control Technician

Quality control technicians are responsible for ensuring that food and beverage products meet industry quality standards. They may perform tests on products and observe processes to ensure they meet required standards. They are usually involved in inspecting products at all stages of the production process to ensure they maintain consistent quality.

Food Technologist

A food technologist oversees food product development, including nutritional information and labelling. They tend to have a big role in researching nutritional developments and seeing how to maximise food quality and nutritional values – especially for packaged foods. They’re responsible for controlling food quality alongside technology innovations and developments.

Machine Operator

Machine operators are responsible for operating the technology involved in the food production process. The position can be extremely varied depending on the sub-sector you work within, but most operators will require strong technological knowledge, time management and the ability to work under pressure. They may be required to carry out basic machine fault finding and repairs, alongside loading and unloading and lining up produce correctly within machine operations ready for packaging or sorting.

Sales Representative

Sales representatives take a lead on selling finished food products to customers or other businesses that use/need them. They may communicate with retail or wholesale clients with the goal of convincing them to order food and beverage products that their company makes. Sales representatives usually take a lead on researching and securing new clients alongside managing existing accounts. They need excellent communication and persuasion skills, as well as relationship-building capabilities.

Production Manager

Production managers oversee the full operations of a food manufacturing or processing warehouse. They ensure the warehouse delivers high-quality products as efficiently as possible, within set time frames and that deliveries go out on time. They continually assess and review the technology used, processes and employee work, developing strategies for improvement where and when needed. They may also create production goals and develop policies for achieving them across a delivery time frame, such as monthly and annually.

Materials Manager

Materials managers oversee a food production company’s inventory and purchasing activities. They record the number of materials needed for production and ensure that new shipments are ordered and ready to be used when necessary. They can also be in charge of storing and distributing finished products and merchandise, completing the supply chain process.

These job roles are only just scratching the surface, and you’ll find the more you explore the sector, the more niche roles you’ll come across.

Graduate Employment and Gender Split

A degree isn’t always necessary for many of the roles within the industry. Many employers also work to support employees to gain further qualifications – such as degrees – while employed to assist their upskilling,

That said, knowing what graduate employment looks like can help set your expectations and make further decisions.

The Graduates Outcome Survey tracks graduate employment across different industry sectors.

Here’s the most recent data for this industry:

  • Agriculture & Environmental Studies Graduates employed overall: 82.4%
  • Business & Management Graduates employed overall: 86.3%

*Figures from 2020 survey results.

Gender Split

The gender split across the industry very much depends on the area or sub-sector you work within, but most reports advise the split is fairly even:

  • Males: 54%
  • Females: 46%

Women have a higher representation in some of the administrative, sales and customer service-related roles, whereas men typically dominate manufacturing and technology.

At Explore Careers, we’re actively working with employers to help them promote Gender Diverse & Gender Positive workplaces.

Average Salary

Current surveys in the sector indicate the median salaries for full-time roles in this industry as:

  • Quality Control Technician Roles: $57,100-$79,200
  • Food Technologist Roles: $57,500-$72,500
  • Machine Operator Roles: $55,000-$70,000
  • Sales Representative Roles: $68,400-$82,500
  • Production Manager Roles: $90,000-$120,500
  • Materials Manager Roles: $82,400-$97,800

Salaries can be pretty varied, with lower expectations for entry-level roles.

Salaries are also determined by several factors, including:

  • The segment of the industry you work within.
  • Your job title and seniority.
  • The amount of experience you have.
  • Any additional qualifications or certifications that give you a specialist skillset

Industry Growth

According to the Department of Industry, Science and Resource (DISR), the food and beverage services industry is filled with exciting opportunities for growth and innovation.

Australia has an international reputation for producing high-quality products and is known for being a trusted exporter of premium goods – leading to the sector becoming one of the largest manufacturing sectors in the Australian economy.

According to DSIR:

“The sector’s strong economic contribution and employment is supported by Australia’s high-quality agricultural produce and production capabilities. It demonstrated resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by being agile and through access to cutting-edge research and innovation expertise.”

With the world’s population projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, there is plenty of opportunity for Australia’s food and beverage manufacturers to access new consumers and markets.

This projection also means there’s never been a better time to explore a career in the industry.

Qualifications and Entry Pathways

Entry pathways are varied and will depend heavily on the type of role you want to get into.

You’ll typically need at least your high school education certificate for most roles and learn on the job while you gain industry-relevant qualifications.

For technology-focused roles, you might need to complete a relevant degree program, such as:

  • Bachelor of Food Science & Technology
  • Bachelor of Agricultural Science
  • Bachelor in Food Services Management
  • Associate Degre in Manufacturing Processes

You can also pursue many roles in the building and construction sector through:

  • Scoring an apprenticeship or traineeship: You can start an apprenticeship and work to gain industry-specific qualifications alongside your certificate of education and work experience.
  • Work experience once you leave school: If you leave school at 16, you can apply for work experience in entry-level positions and work your way up over time.

TAFE and vocational education pathways are ideal for individuals wishing to pursue careers within the automotive sector.

Here are a few of the qualifications you could pursue:

  • Certificate III in Food Processing
  • Certificate IV in Food Processing
  • Diploma of Food Science And Technology
  • Certificate III in Packaging Design

Requirements will depend on the type of role you want and the company – so make sure you research.

Whatever your circumstances, grades, or preferred way forward – there’s a qualification pathway that will work for you.

Best Places to Study

Where you choose to study will be dependent on a range of factors, but some top institutions to study with include:

  • University of Queensland Australia
  • University of Melbourne
  • RMIT University
  • Monash University
  • Charles Sturt University
  • University of Adelaide
  • Deakin University
  • Curtin University

Your local TAFE and vocational education providers are also excellent places to reach out to explore your apprenticeship and vocational qualification avenues.

Top Skills You’ll Need

Some of the key skills identified to be successful in the industry include:

  • Analysis
  • Attention to Detail
  • Time Management
  • Punctuality
  • Communication
  • Active Listening
  • Problem Solving
  • Team Work
  • Organisation
  • Decision Making

Where to Learn More

You can learn more about different automotive and mechanical career pathways through professional bodies and organisations advocating for careers in the sector.

Some good places to start include:

And many more!

Each state will also have several professional organisations to help you learn more about the industry, network, and develop your career.