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Factory Worker (Food and Beverage Industry)

Factory workers in the food and beverage industry prepare ingredients, operate machinery, and bottle or package products. They work in factories that make or process a variety of food or drinks.

Tasks & duties

Factory workers in the food and beverage industry may do some or all of the following:

collect raw materials for processing
measure, mix and cook raw materials
control the temperature and automated processes for making products
check the quality of the product and document the results at certain times of the production process
operate and maintain machines
inspect and pack the final product
clean and sterilise the factory processing area

Factory workers may do other tasks such as preserve fish and meat, or peel, slice and can vegetables depending on the type of factory they work in.

Specialisations

Factory workers in the food and beverage industry may specialise in different processes, such as bottling, canning or cooking, depending on the type of factory they work in.

Skills & knowledge

Factory workers in the food and beverage industry need to have:

knowledge of the product being made or processed
knowledge of safety and hygiene regulations
practical skills to operate food manufacturing and processing machinery
communication skills
maths skills

Some factory workers need to know how to operate vehicles such as fork-lifts. Training for this may be provided by the employer.

Entry requirements

There are no specific entry requirements to become a factory worker in the food and beverage industry, but some employers may require you to sit a medical examination prior to starting work.

Secondary education

There are no specific secondary educational requirements, but some employers prefer a minimum of three years of secondary education and knowledge of basic maths and English.

Tertiary education

Courses in food hygiene and food technology are useful for becoming a factory worker in the food and beverage industry. National Certificates in Food and Related Products Processing are available through Competenz. The NZ Industry Training Organisation also runs training in the meat processing and dairy manufacturing industries.

Training on the job

Skills are gained on the job. Training may include learning about hygiene practices, communication skills, team work and leadership, and how to operate computerised machinery and vehicles such as fork-lifts.

Useful experience

Experience working in food retailing or in a factory, bakery, brewery or in manufacturing may be useful. Any experience with computers may also be helpful in some factories.