Filling the skills GAP
The South Australian Food Centre’s Graduate Access Program has produced a winning partnership for two young graduates and their host business.
Two aspiring South Australian food industry graduates have helped create a new product which has been snapped up by more than 740 Woolworths stores across Australia as well as Coles.
Their involvement with Glynde based cheese manufacturer, La Casa Del Formaggio, in developing a range of pre-packaged Bruschetta Kits, was made possible through the Graduate Access Program.
The former University of South Australia students, Laura Waterhouse, a marketing and visual communications graduate, and Cara Filipsons, with a degree in nutrition and food science, are now working full time for La Casa and are busy working on the development of several more products for the expanding local business.
The Graduate Access Program encourages businesses to take on skilled food industry related graduates for six months, with the State Government providing up to half their salary. SARDI food scientist Andrew Barber and Wayne Lyons, a strategic marketing consultant, have mentored the graduates as part of project work through the SA Food Centre.
Mr Lyons says the access program was one of the best initiatives to encourage growth within the food industry in the past 25 years.
"I love the Graduate Access Program because it allows businesses to bring in a skill that they otherwise wouldn’t have gambled on. La Casa is now skyrocketing, and Laura, their first full time marketer, is playing an integral part in driving this business forward.”
"One of the most strategic decisions we made was to proactively recruit skilled trained individuals, and this program has enabled us to take that step with Laura and Cara.”
Mr Lyons added that the business was now promoting its relationship with the SA Food Centre as a key strategic platform in its discussions with supermarket chains.
"Involvement with the SA Food Centre means La Casa now has the resources of a business five times their size. For example, a Coles buyer was interested in two proposed products and with the help of the SA Food Centre, samples were on his desk within 14 days. This would have been impossible without them.”
The Bruschetta Kits comprise a 100g tub of Cherry Bocconcini and a 100g tub of bruschetta topping in three different flavours, including tomato and basil and roasted red pepper and chilli.
Laura says the chance to work on such a project through the Graduate Access Program was “absolutely fantastic”.
"I am learning so much about dealing with supermarkets and their buyers, understanding the information they need and just how to get a product range into Woolworths and Coles.”
"I was directly involved in meeting supermarket buyers to present the conceptual products, and the background work in developing a great tasting recipe and product. On the packaging side of things, I oversaw the designers putting together the design and artwork, as well as sourcing packaging materials and suppliers.”
Since joining La Casa, Laura has also reviewed the marketing aspects of the business including sales and distribution and revamped its website.
Cara, who has just been employed as La Casa’s New Product Development Officer in its Quality Assurance Department, started her work with the business under the program in February.
"I had the task of taking the bruschetta product from a small scale recipe to production scale and shelf ready.”
The Graduate Access Program has provided a “thrilling opportunity straight out of University”.
Want to know more?
Contact
SA Food Centre
p +61 8 8348 4442
e safoodcentre@saugov.sa.gov.au
w www.safoodcentre.com.au
- Page last modified: November 15, 2011, 5:52 pm
- Welcome URL is http://www.safoodcentre.com.au/
- This page: http://www.safoodcentre.com.au/site-wide_pages/top_menu/news/food_talk_magazine/spring_2009/filling_the_skills_gap
