My career in food started when I opted to take Food Technology (Home Economics ) as one of my subjects at GCSE level. I much preferred the nutritional science side to the cookery side, and I was obtaining good grades, so I decided to go on to Sixth Form taking Food Science as one of my three A-levels.

I left Shrewsbury Sixth Form gaining a place at Liverpool John Moores on a three year BA (Hons) Home Economics course where I gained a 2:1. The course content was very varied and versatile allowing choice of direction, providing alternative routes and a selection of modules relevant to the student's particular interests, for example Food Technology, Market Research & Marketing, Food & Nutrition, Consumer Studies, Food Law.

As I was unsure exactly the career I wanted to follow at this point, I decided to take Product Development, Nutrition, HACCP, Quality Assurance and Marketing as some of my modules. It was only really after a work-based learning placement linked to my degree course that I realised the importance of these choices.

I spent a six week block with Eden Vale Dairies where I assisted the food technologists with development work. As a result of the placement I was invited back for the summer to work as an Assistant Technologist and, after finishing University to work as a Cottage Cheese Technologist for five months before I went travelling around the world for a year.

I worked in Australia for nine months in various areas of the food industry from scrubbing pots in a canteen to serving canapes to Sydney businessmen. I have now worked for five months for Telford Foods, a member of the Dutch Wessansen Group, as a Development Technologist. Telford Foods is Britain's largest supplier of private label soups, sauces and pot meals to the grocery multiples.

My responsibilities relate to the development of new products, the derivation of their nutritional information and their ingredients declaration, as well as the preparation of product specifications, the checking of product artwork and preparing products to go from bench scale development to the factory. The well organised and efficient work ethic at Telford Foods enables me to enjoy and carry out my work easily.

In five months I have learnt and built on previous knowledge about the way in which a company functions to produce and maintain a high standard of product. I obtained the Intermediate Food Hygiene Certificate and have been offered the opportunity to take further courses in line with my job, supported by Telford Foods.

The key to my choice of career has been experience within the industry. Without the chance through university and the experience I gained afterwards I think I would be in a different position now.

My aim and hope is to continue to broaden my knowledge and experience in this fast moving sector of the food industry, in which there is much opportunity.