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So happy to have been able to coordinate this experience for our Cohort 3 interns! It’s such an integral element of professional growth in an organization, to be able to experience and to understand the processes and runnings of every single department and section of the business. Only then can one make informed decisions. #professionalgrowth #HR #MassyStoresTrinidad #MSTT

Your consumption of fruits and vegetables runs so much deeper than picking up your favorite fruit at the store. Has that food been a staple in your house? For how long? Why? Did that food contain strong cultural presence? Did you think the food provides health benefits, so that is why you picked it up? Did you know where your fruit was grown, packed, and shipped from? What about the company that sold it to you? I never consciously thought about these questions, but they all played a role in my shopping habits and health outcomes. But after my 10 weeks at International Fresh Produce Association, I do! Thanks to Barbara Hochman, Larry Zink, and Rachel Blake, I'll never look at nutrition purchasing habits the same. If you are interested in learning more about why people buy the products they do, commodity sales, or other functions of the produce industry, reach out to me or even better, Barbara Hochman! The produce industry is always looking for new talent and is the friendliest industry I've worked for. I've made incredible relationships and have generous mentors thanks to International Fresh Produce Association. International Fresh Produce Association is looking for 2025 summer interns! I could go on and on about my experience. Below is a summary of my summer with International Fresh Produce Association.

👀 Check out these interesting sessions to learn about Cargill internship, co-op and post-grad career pathways!

I'm thrilled to share that I have completed an incredible summer internship at VARUN BEVERAGES LIMITED one of the world's largest PepsiCo bottlers! This experience has been nothing short of transformative, and I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to delve into the intricate workings of a multinational beverage company. Throughout my internship at Varun Beverages Limited (VBL), I had the opportunity to work closely with various departments, including accounting, operations, inventory control, and shipping logistics. Under the guidance of experienced professionals, I learned the nuances of financial management, witnessed the rigorous pursuit of operational excellence, and gained insights into VBL's intricate supply chain dynamics. I was particularly impressed by the company's commitment to sustainable practices, such as inventory control techniques that minimize waste and maximize resource utilization, as well as the shipping department's efficient logistics management, strategic order placement strategies, and unwavering commitment to documentation and compliance, which foster trust and confidence among stakeholders. But the real highlight was the amazing mentorship I received. My supervisors were incredibly supportive, providing guidance and challenging me to think critically. They fostered a collaborative environment where I felt comfortable asking questions and learning from experienced professionals. Their unwavering commitment to excellence and continuous improvement left a lasting impression on me. Here are just a few of the eye-opening lessons I learned: 💰 How financial ratios, cost analysis, and variance analysis can paint a vivid picture of a company's financial health and operational performance. 🚚 The importance of optimizing supply chains for efficiency and cost-effectiveness, ensuring a seamless flow of products from manufacturing units to consumers. 📦 The intricate dance between inventory management and customer satisfaction, where proactive strategies minimize waste and stockouts while meeting market demands. 🌐 The complexities of shipping logistics and the meticulous attention to detail required for timely and compliant deliveries across diverse markets. A huge thank you to the entire VBL team for making this summer unforgettable! Your guidance, mentorship, and unwavering support have ignited a passion within me to continue learning and growing in the dynamic world of business. #VarunBeveragesLimited #PepsiCo #SummerInternship #Mentorship #LearningExperience #BeverageIndustry

And today I completed my internship at Speciality Restaurants Pvt. Ltd!!✨✨ It was a pleasurable time with my boss and her team where I learnt a lot of new things. A few takeaways from this 3 months food supply based internship are :- •Passion Fuels Success: Witnessing firsthand the dedication and drive of individuals in the food industry was an eye-opener. From chefs meticulously crafting dishes to managers navigating supply chain challenges, the passion for food permeated every aspect. This instilled in me the vital role of genuine enthusiasm in achieving success within this competitive field. •Adaptability is Key: The food industry is dynamic, facing fluctuations in trends, ingredients, and customer preferences. Observing how businesses adapted to these changes, from menu innovation to embracing online ordering, highlighted the importance of flexibility and responsiveness. This experience emphasized the need for lifelong learning and being open to new ideas to thrive in this ever-evolving landscape. •Customer Centricity Matters: Whether interacting with customers directly or observing behind-the-scenes efforts, understanding customer needs and exceeding expectations was paramount. Businesses prioritized creating positive dining experiences, offering personalized recommendations, and addressing feedback actively. This takeaway resonated deeply, emphasizing the importance of customer focus in any business, especially within the competitive food industry. •Teamwork is Essential: Collaborating with chefs, servers, managers, and even suppliers provided valuable insight into the interconnectedness of the food business. Everyone played a crucial role, and witnessing effective teamwork firsthand emphasized the importance of communication, collaboration, and mutual respect within any successful organization.

Today marks the last day of my internship at Whole Foods Market. Here are some updates and reflections: 🌟 Analyzed internal compensation offer records and benchmarked them against market data sets to assess our salary offer strategies. Provided instructions for interpreting data, charting findings, and key insights for team members in Team Member Services and Talent Acquisitions. 🌟 Pitched my final presentation to WFM leaders and my intern cohort, sharing my key takeaways and contributions from this summer. 🌟 Left with a basket full of flowers, food and love (this picture only shows half of what I received). I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this summer an unforgettable work experience. A huge shout-out to my mentor Andres Traslavina for being the most supportive guide, always having my best career interests in mind. Thank you to TMS and TA for making my projects possible. Special thanks to Kim Vo for answering all of my questions and making sure all the interns had the best summer ever. Lastly, to my fellow students, especially international students: During the recruiting process, we often hear a lot of "noise" and can lose sight of what truly matters to us, sometimes altering our career paths based on others' input and expectations. The most valuable lesson I’ve learned from this internship is to cover your ears the moment you start losing your north star. Be open to advice, but stay true to who YOU are and what fuels YOUR energy. You are the driver of your life and career; seek opportunities that resonate with you and make decisions that align with your passions and goals, not just what appears to be the best choice on the surface but doesn’t truly fuel your passion. Thank you, Whole Foods Market, for this incredible opportunity. This is not goodbye forever—I will miss everyone and the company dearly.

If you're a foodie working an office job and looking for a career change, have you considered becoming a cheese professional? Whole Foods Market is looking to improve on the grocery industry’s typical high-turnover workforce through its career development initiatives, per Axios. In September, CEO Jason Buechel said Whole Foods’ previous year saw 11k+ employee promotions, with an expanding roster of paid apprenticeship programs playing a key role in their internal development model. The on-the-job training programs are intensive, sometimes yearslong paths for Whole Foods employees, but there’s a prize at the end: expert-level certification and expanded growth opportunities. It’s not a hard bargain for employees; for instance, would you rather pay ~$4k for an eight-month meat-cutting certification, or get paid while you complete that education? Read more: https://lnkd.in/gzW-p-PZ

Apprenticeships are expanding into more specialized career pathways. Pathways you'd never imagined would offer an apprenticeship opportunity. This article confirms my belief that apprenticeships are the way to go in the land of Workforce Development programing. They're so much more rewarding than a stand alone training.

This 34-year-old quit her job at Amazon to go to pastry school in France. How did she do it? Valerie Valcourt worked a 6-figure tech job, but she felt unfulfilled. She had always dreamed of going to culinary school abroad. In 2020, she made her first attempt, got into a French school, and resigned. But this attempt backfired. She only had $10,000 saved and was not mentally prepared for such a big career change. In 2022, she made her second attempt. This time, she played her hands differently: - She planned her finances in advances. She had doubled her savings to $20,000 and stayed with family to accelerate her savings. - She also researched schools that would help her learn French and with internship placement. Finally she landed on Gastronomicom in the south of France. In January 2023, she officially moved to France. She kicked off a 3-month program of intensive pastry courses and French lessons, then a 4-month internship. In total, she paid: - 10,000 euros ($10,850) for tuition - 1,800 euros ($1,953) for housing - Some amount for other expenses After graduating, she got hired to work full time as a pastry assistant at Maison Chabran in Pont-de-l’Isere, France, where she continued her new career path. *** Liked this story? I'm testing out case studies on how high-achievers spend money to fulfill unconventional life goals. Uncover other case studies: (link in comments) Comment below if you crave more stories on unconventional paths. I won't share more unless if you tell me to. Credits: CNBC

One of the ladies on my team asked me how to deal with being “taken as a joke”. She’s under 20 years old, just moved to the country, has buckets of potential, just inexperienced and extremely shy. I told her that unfortunately it’s a part of life. When you first start in an industry sometimes you don’t know what your doing, your “equals” don’t respect you, no one’s helping when you ask. There’s people like this in the workplace and sadly, it’s something you can’t avoid. I told her, keep your chin up and become excellent at what you do. Sometimes you just need someone to believe in you, I’m that person, so don’t worry people will come around. I remember being 17 and working as a commis waiter at 45 park lane, terrified of the executive chef and had no idea how to work a coffee machine, fold napkins or even had a clue about fine dining. No one thought much of me. But when I faught to become the best at what I did I was commended for my outstanding performance at the end of my internship and made connections for life. Being a manager is more than just getting the rotas in on time, making sure everything is in order and leading by example. It’s about mentorship and becoming that person that will believe in people and give them hope and confidence in their career. #management #mentorship #teambuilding #teambonding #confidence #confidencebuilding