Choosing food... “Arrhh! I can’t decide!”

Attending a summer school will help A level students start making decisions

I was once offered advice on how to make my restaurant food decisions faster and easier. My response? “Why would I want to do that?” I delight in too much choice, in keeping options open and leaving it to the last moment. I might cut it down to a shortlist of two dishes until the waiter arrives when I have to rush a last minute selection. Shorten that pleasure? Ridiculous!

Perhaps for 17 year olds choosing careers and universities is similar with a world of opportunity, a wealth of options and people telling you what to do. University, apprenticeship or straight to work? Which subject and which industry? Which university? “Arrhhh! I can’t decide!”

I say, relax and let us help! No-one should force a decision on you and no-one should rush you. Summer schools are a great way to have a look at a subject and a university without any commitment. The summer schools run at Harper Adams University include a Food Science Summer School which perhaps is like a taster menu so you can get to know the food industry, the food courses and the university.

Like a huge pub menu with pages of options, we understand that the food industry is full of opportunity. It employs 3.2 million people across 100,000 locations in the UK. Food and drink together is worth £31bn to the economy and is the biggest manufacturing sector in the country. All along the supply chain there are new challenges and we understand that young people want to help solve the big problems we face: feeding the growing global population, avoiding the destruction of the planet in the process, keeping up with changing consumer desire for health AND flavour. Even artificial intelligence will not change the demand for food… we all need to eat.

The detail can wait: whether you want to work in new product development or quality assurance, whether you want to lead large operational teams or provide technical advice to those teams, whether you want to be in corporate or entrepreneurial sector, in buying or marketing, in HR or logistics, - all of these are possible and all can be decided later. A level students do not need to be sure; all they need to do now is answer the questions “Are you interested in food?” and “Are you interested in university?” If the answer is yes, they can apply for a free, no strings attached Food Science Summer School. Which course and what specialisation can wait. It’s like letting you taste the dishes from a menu before you have to decide. Click here to read more or to find out about getting a taster at our Food Science Summer School.

Apply here

By Alastair Boot

Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing and Management and Placement Manager