Your Guide to Skills Needed in Your Food Factory Workers

A new $133 million project for manufacturing canned tuna is expected to create 4,000 jobs for food-process workers. Saudi Arabia’s strategic vision is well underway, mentioning that the National Industry Strategy is looking forward to tripling the agricultural exports to reach $10.9 billion by 2035. The Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones “MODON” has also revealed that the number of food factories will increase to 1,171 by the end of 2022. 

You can read behind the headlines that the framework of the Vision 2030 plan is effective in developing the new economy, in terms of encouraging small and medium-sized companies in the food sector and other sectors. It also creates thousands of job opportunities for food process workers and professionals; and with this massive number of job opportunities comes a massive need for developing food factory workers’ skills.

Though, before we highlight the basic skills you may need in your food process workers to surf on the same development wave, let’s know what the term food industry refers to:

The term“food industry” encompasses any company that produces, processes, manufactures, sells and serves food, beverages, and dietary supplements. It refers to all stages of the process, including design, construction, maintenance, and delivery of solutions to the customer in the industry of animal nutrition and the food industry (food and drink).

Taking into consideration the rapid changes in the market, which may sometimes take a radical turn, developing the skills of your factory workers and professionals has become more than just a routine, but rather a core factor in the destination of your facility and how it might survive in the world economy fluctuations and surf the new technology waves. 

Now, what are the skills you might need in food factory workers?

There are essential skills, knowledge, and competencies needed in the professional factory workers related to the food industry, and there are optional skills, knowledge, and competencies needed in the professional factory workers related to the food industry.

Table 1. A brief view of essential skills, knowledge, and competencies needed in the professional factory workers related to the food industry.

Food Production Manager	Food Production Operator	Food Safety Specialist	Food & Beverage Packaging Technologist	Food Production Engineer	Food Analyst	Food Technician
essential	essential	essential	essential	essential	essential	essential
knowledge	knowledge	knowledge	knowledge	knowledge	knowledge	knowledge
financial capability	food safety principles	food legislation	packaging engineering	electrical engineering	food safety principles	food and beverage industry
food and beverage industry		food preservation	packaging functions	electronics	food safety standards	food preservation
food legislation		food storage	packaging processes	food storage	food science	food product ingredients
quality assurance methodologies			product package requirements	quality assurance methodologies	food toxicity	functional properties of foods
			types of packaging materials		laboratory-based sciences	processes of foods and beverage manufacturing
skill/competence	skill/competence	skill/competence	skill/competence	skill/competence	skill/competence	skill/competence
analyse production processes for improvement	administer ingredients in food production	control food safety regulations	analyse packaging requirements	apply GMP	analyse characteristics of food products at reception	apply GMP
analyse trends in the food and beverage industries	apply GMP	develop food safety programmes	apply GMP	apply HACCP	processes of food and beverage manufacturing	apply HACCP
apply control process statistical methods	apply HACCP	evaluate retail food inspection findings	apply HACCP	apply requirements concerning the manufacturing of food and beverages	apply GMP	analyse samples of food and beverages
apply HACCP	be at ease in unsafe environments	keep task records	care for food aesthetic	apply requirements concerning the manufacturing of food and beverages	apply requirements concerning the manufacturing of food and beverages	clean food and beverage machinery
configure plants for the food industry	carry out checks of production plant equipment	maintain personal hygiene standards	identify innovative concepts in packaging	develop food production processes	assess nutritional characteristics of food	ensure public safety and security
communicate production plan	clean food and beverage machinery	monitor packaging operations	keep up with innovations in food manufacturing	disaggregate the production plan	assess quality characteristics of food products	identify the factors causing changes in food during storage
control of expenses	disassemble equipment	apply requirements concerning the manufacturing of food and beverages	manage packaging development cycle from concept to launch	disassemble equipment	plan inspections for the prevention of sanitation violations	manage all process engineering activities
ensure cost efficiency in food manufacturing	ensure refrigeration of food in the supply chain	prepare reports on sanitation	manage packaging material	keep up with innovations in food manufacturing	blend food ingredients	manage the delivery of raw materials
identify hazards in the workplace	ensure sanitation	take action on food safety violations	monitor filling machines	keep up-to-date with regulations	calibrate laboratory equipment	manage packaging material
attend to detail regarding food and beverages	follow production schedule	train employees	monitor packaging options	manage all process engineering activities	collect samples for analysis	monitor freezing processes

Table 2. A brief of optional skills, knowledge and competencies needed in the professional factory workers related to the food industry.

Food Production Manager	Food Production Operator	Food Safety Specialist	Food & Beverage Packaging Technologist	Food Production Engineer	Food Analyst	Food Technician
optional	optional	optional	optional	optional	optional	optional
knowledge	knowledge	knowledge	Knowledge	knowledge	knowledge	knowledge
food safety standards	centrifugal force	cold chain	food safety principles	food and beverage industry	fermentation processes of food	cleaning of reusable packaging
dispose of food waste	cleaning of reusable packaging	food homogenisation	food safety standards	food homogenisation	food homogenisation	combination of flavours
	condiment manufacturing processes	food policy	food science	food preservation	food legislation	combination of textures
	fermentation processes of food	general principles of food law	ingredient threats	Food safety standards	food products composition	fermentation processes of beverages
	food canning production line		legislation about animal-origin products		risks associated with physical, chemical, and biological hazards in food and beverages	fermentation processes of food
Skill/competence	Skill/competence	Skill/competence	Skill/competence	Skill/competence	Skill/competence	Skill/competence
adapt production levels	legislation about animal-origin products	analyse samples of food and beverages	assess HACCP implementation in plants	analyse work-related written reports	analyse packaging requirements	adjust production schedule
advocate for consumer matters in production plants	administer materials to tea bag machines	assess food samples	detect microorganisms	assess HACCP implementation in plants	analyse trends in the food and beverage industries	administer ingredients in food production
apply foreign language for international trade	apply different dehydration processes of fruits and vegetables	audit HACCP	develop new food products	be at ease in unsafe environments	analyse work-related written reports	analyse packaging requirements
assess environmental plans against financial costs	apply extruding techniques	develop food policy	develop standard operating procedures in the food chain	ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production	apply scientific methods	analyse production processes for improvement
ensure continuous preparedness for audits	apply preservation treatments	ensure correct goods labelling	ensure correct goods labelling	adjust the drying process for goods	assess environmental parameters at the workplace for food products	analyse work-related written reports
hire new personnel	check bottles for packaging	monitor sugar uniformity	keep up-to-date with regulations	food plant design	assess food samples	apply control process statistical methods
lead process optimisation	dispose of food waste	use instruments for food measurement	label foodstuffs	lead process optimisation	check the quality of products on the production line	apply food technology principles
manage medium-term objectives	conduct cleaning in place		participate in the development of new food products	write work-related reports	assess the shelf life of food products	be at ease in unsafe environments
manage staff	dispose food waste			interpret extraction data	detect microorganisms	calibrate laboratory equipment

Not long ago, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia started to develop strategies for expanding investment in non-oil sectors, avoiding relying on the oil-sector economy alone. One of the top non-oil sectors the kingdom is developing is the food industry, and that means great investments and numerous job opportunities for food factory workers and professionals.

Will you be able to sail alone in the food industry market?

If you need to avoid market fluctuation risks with a partner who provides you with professional advice along with the trained food process workers your business needs, then you can always rely on SMASCO. We will support you with the qualified factory workers and the food process workers required for the success of your facility. In addition to the advice that comes from professionals with deep experience in the food industry workforce, you can count on facing the upcoming challenges and technologies. Contact the SMASCO team now.

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Sources

• A Guide for the Food Industry to Meet the Future Skills Requirements Emerging with Industry 4.0. Published: 14 April 2020, by each of:

1. Tugce Akyazi, and Aitor Oyarbide: Department of Mechanics, Design and Organisation, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, Spain.
2. Aitor Goti 2: Deusto Digital Industry Chair, Department of Mechanics, Design and Organisation, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, Spain
3. Elisabete Alberdi: Department of Applied Mathematics, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
4. Felix Bayon: Sidenor Aceros Especiales, SLU, 48970 Bilbao, Spain, and author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

• Employee training to increase efficiency in the Saudi private sector, for Megren Abdullah Altassan, on DigitalCommons.
• Article مدن تستقطب استثمارات جديدة بأكثر من 10 مليارات ريال وترفع أعداد المصانع الغذائية إلى 1171 مصنعًا, date: 24 February 2023 – 04 شعبان 1444 ه, The Saudi Press Agency.