A bakery ingredients supplier has visited school pupils to entice young talent into the food manufacturing industry.

Caroline Ratcliffe, marketing executive at Zeelandia, visited the Havering-based Sacred Heart of Mary Girls’ School in January and discussed job opportunities available to Year 11 pupils.

She encouraged students to undertake specific training and courses such as A Level Food Technology, and consider roles in nutrition, marketing, management and food science that are on offer in the sector.

Ratcliffe said: “It’s important, from my own experience, to go out there and speak to school-leavers, offer them the insight into the industry and recommend work experience opportunities and training that could guarantee them a good career in the sector.”

Zeelandia is looking to organise a breadmaking workshop with the school in the future, to be headed up by the firm’s bakery technologist Andrew Taylor.

“Not only is it important to talk to young talent about the wide array of opportunities out there, but we are trying to show them how exciting a career in bakery is,” added Ratcliffe.