Growing opportunities.
Make a career out of caring for your community.
Food has the power to unite communities, to create conversations, and to inspire change. There are many aspects to food, nutrition, agriculture, and health that can turn a passion into a career.
One of the most important decisions you will make in your life is to decide on an occupation. Through the choices you make, especially in high school, you can control the direction of your life and your career path. Why not turn your love of gardening or food into a lifelong profession?
The food industry is a large and varied one, with numerous jobs in agriculture, service, preparation, management, and science. Food production supplies our eating establishments and stores with the ingredients we need to eat. Restaurants and food service have many positions, where you can work up to a manager or restaurant owner. You can also work in many types of kitchens, starting as a prep cook and eventually becoming a chef. Food science is another large field that includes industrial food production and food safety. There are also opportunities in the fields of education, health, and nutrition, all working to improve the well-being of our communities.
Most beginning jobs, called entry-level jobs, require minimal professional work experience and open the door to larger career opportunities. Entry-level jobs offer valuable training and experience. If you are looking to expand your skill set and learn as much as possible, these jobs can expose you to many aspects while you learn more about the position and the field.
The following pages highlight higher-level occupations that fall into more professional and advanced jobs within food systems. However, you will need more knowledge and skills to be able to complete the tasks associated with this level of competency. Typical entry-level jobs leading into these positions as well as education and steps to advancement will be briefly discussed.
Use the following pages to explore the many areas where food can be the main focus of a career.