Major career opportunities on menu for former St Paul’s student Katie Brown

Katie Brown at the recent Lincoln University Food and Fibre Awards and Networking Dinner with Associate Minister of Agriculture and Education, Jo Luxton, who presented her with the Top Student Award.

Former Hamilton St Paul’s Collegiate student Katie Brown said it was “very gratifying” to be recognised for academic excellence at Lincoln University’s recent Food and Fibre Awards and Networking Dinner.

Brown, who moved to Canterbury at the start of last year to pursue a bachelor of science (majoring in food science), won a Top Student Award at the annual event, which celebrated the university’s top performers and connected students with industry leaders.

Twenty-five sector organisations – including Fonterra, AgResearch, Ravensdown, Beef + Lamb New Zealand and PGG Wrightson – provided sponsorship for the initiative and a networking session kicked off the evening.

Brown said the event was invaluable, given her ambition of pursuing a career in the food industry.

”A variety of industry professionals attended the dinner, with the intention of meeting students wanting to enter the sector. All of those I spoke to were insightful and generous with their time and experiences.”

During the event, Brown was seated at a table with representatives from an arable farming business.

”I actually assumed this wasn’t really relevant to my degree and that I must have been seated there accidentally, but then I found out they have an extensive need for food science for seed and crop development in terms of plant characteristics,” she said.

“This isn’t necessarily an industry I see myself pursuing but it was really reassuring to see the flexibility and necessity of food science, even in industries I hadn’t considered.”

Growing up in rural New Zealand, Brown gained a major appreciation for the hard work and essential role of the country’s food producers.

“When I think of the uncertainty of the future, I find reassurance in the fact that there will always be a need for our farmers and producers,” she said.

”In food science, there will always be jobs, as people are always going to need food.”

After graduating, Brown wants to work in sustainable food production and innovation, with a focus on feeding future generations, not just the immediate population. She made the decision to study at Lincoln when she discovered the university’s food science programmes.

”I was apprehensive because I wasn’t sure if it was the right place for me,” she said.

“Despite this, I have loved every minute of my time here and would make the choice 100 times over.”

According to Lincoln University Professor Derrick Moot, the Food and Fibre Awards MC, the initiative came about as a way of connecting students with prospective employers for summer work, internships and career opportunities.

”It’s a long overdue event to showcase the positive attributes of the primary sector,” Moot said.

”The family of sponsors includes many major employers and some are represented on the night by recent graduates who provide invaluable insights about what their job involves on a daily basis, which study programmes prepared them for that work and what opportunities are available within the company.”

Companies continue to seek high-quality, work-ready graduates to support the primary sector, and the event is one way of ensuring students understand the importance of their studies and how they are being prepared for success in the future.

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