14 replies to this topic

[Simon]

We just posted a new article on the website - what do you think?

Industrial manufacturing is not the only industry that is experiencing changes from the influx of women; the food science field is actually seeing a complete turnaround in the ratio of men to women. “Food science has as its cornerstone chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and nutrition,” explained Dr. Stephanie Doores, Ph.D., undergraduate program and placement coordinator for Penn State University’s Department of Food Science. “About thirty years ago, the student population was mostly male and now we are predominantly female.”

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[Penard]

Right...Although it's sometimes still very difficult for some of women to work in a men's world - in food industry!

Hope mentality will change in Europ, it will take a long time...but it's much more better than 10 or 20 years ago!
what about other countries/ continents?

Emmanuel.

[Jean]

Hi



A Good article indeed and is very true in U.A.E too! The majority of the Food Safety Specialist or QA personnel’s are women. I believe women have taken up the challenge to work in Food Industry and things get a lot better as long as there is good support from the management and the food control authorities



Regards



J

[cazyncymru]

I'm currently in the third year of my Food Science Degree, and i would say that 85% of the students are female.

At the site where i'm the QA Manager, our factory manager and despatch manager are also of the female persuasion.

we're actually known as "Stevie's Angels"

[Simon]

From the article.

As seen in the industrial manufacturing world, women’s ability to pay attention to detail is also touted as a reason why more women are being employed in the quality control and quality assurance (QA/QC) areas of food science. “When we walk through food factories and plants, you see a lot more women employed in QA/QC,” and she believes it is a woman’s ability to be very careful about details that makes them so good at these jobs. “I’ve noticed that it is always the women on the QA floor that are the ‘pickiest’ in terms of making sure a food product meets quality standards,” argued Prakash.

Is this true (evidence?) or is the author being sexist?

[jenmaw]

From the article.

Is this true (evidence?) or is the author being sexist?

I would say its true:clap:

[GMO]

That's rubbish. Men and women can both be as detail focussed.

My bugbear at the moment is the lack of flexible working posibilities in managerial levels of the food industry. It's a problem if you really want more women in charge. Now I have a child (yes, I'm not really fat and bald) there's no way I can be running a product trial at 2am like I was a few months ago. The food industry seems particularly lacking in imagination and backwards in this respect.

I also reckoned that the numbers of women in Technical also contributed to the average Technical pay being poor cf. production or engineering but then maybe I'm just bitter....

[Charles.C]

Dear All,

also from the article -

The increase of women in the field of food science is also being seen at Chapman University in Orange, California, where Professor of Food Science, Dr. Anuradha Prakash, Ph.D., noted that the ratio of men to women is 80/20; “About ten years ago it was sixty percent women, and another ten years before that it was just the opposite.”

Hmmm. Perhaps women prefer an occupation where mathematical accuracy is less important ???

[just me]

I think there is also social influence. QA/QC jobs do not allow much "Career advancement" or "earning big bucks". Therefore most men opt for more "$$ rewarding jobs" that allows better career advancement opportunities, such as in sales or operations.

[Simon]

That's rubbish. Men and women can both be as detail focussed.

My bugbear at the moment is the lack of flexible working possibilities in managerial levels of the food industry. It's a problem if you really want more women in charge. Now I have a child (yes, I'm not really fat and bald) there's no way I can be running a product trial at 2am like I was a few months ago. The food industry seems particularly lacking in imagination and backwards in this respect.

I also reckoned that the numbers of women in Technical also contributed to the average Technical pay being poor cf. production or engineering but then maybe I'm just bitter....

I agree with all of your points GMO.

Despite laws there has and perhaps always will be a disparity on men and women’s pay. And most employers cannot be bothered to be flexible, they just need someone to get the job done; especially in the manic ‘I want it now’ food industry.

[nomio]

I recently returned to work after a 6 year long "maternity leave"! I now work for a great company on a 3 day week, school hours and flexibility around school holidays. I'm on a pay scale equivilent to any other technical manager and my knowledge is respected in the workplace.

I do wonder if I am going to wake up and it all be a dream!!

[Simon]

I recently returned to work after a 6 year long "maternity leave"! I now work for a great company on a 3 day week, school hours and flexibility around school holidays. I'm on a pay scale equivilent to any other technical manager and my knowledge is respected in the workplace.

I do wonder if I am going to wake up and it all be a dream!!

That sounds great; Normio, let me know if they have any more jobs...I'll send my wife out to work.

[Martinblue]

So far in my 8 years Food Industry career all my bosses were female except one and my new role I am going soon is not different.

[Charles.C]

Dear Martinblue,

So far in my 8 years Food Industry career all my bosses were female except one and my new role I am going soon is not different.

I'm not sure if that comment is a vote "for" or "against" the motion (post #5) ? How many companies have you worked for ?

Rgds / Charles.C

[Jason H.Z.C.]

I recently returned to work after a 6 year long "maternity leave"! I now work for a great company on a 3 day week, school hours and flexibility around school holidays. I'm on a pay scale equivilent to any other technical manager and my knowledge is respected in the workplace.

I do wonder if I am going to wake up and it all be a dream!!

Hi nomio,

Person in dream will not leave the message on forum, you have an admired job

Hope six years later my wife could find such a pretty job, too .

Jason

Edited by Jason H.Z.C., 14 February 2011 - 09:01 AM.