Fiona Hamilton – CAFRE Alumni
Interview with Fiona Hamilton – securing a fantastic career in the food industry with a CAFRE Higher Level Apprenticeship
Fiona Hamilton from Newtownstewart graduated from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Loughry Campus in 2018 with a BTEC National Diploma in Food Science and Manufacturing Technology. Fiona continued her studies with CAFRE through a Higher Level Apprenticeship and earlier this year completed a Foundation Degree in Food and Drink Manufacture, awarded by Ulster University.
What course did you study at CAFRE?
After I completed my GCSEs, I enrolled on the BTEC National Diploma in Food Science and Manufacturing Technology at CAFRE. During my time studying on this course, I completed my 12-week Industrial Work Placement in Kerry Omagh. Having enjoyed this placement and receiving an offer to return to work for the company when I completed my National Diploma qualification, I decided to explore part time study options. I was excited to hear about the new Level 5 Higher Level Apprenticeship in Food and Drink Manufacture being launched at CAFRE, and when I found out more, I knew it was the perfect course for me to ‘earn as I learn’ and work full time in Kerry Omagh. With the support of Kerry Omagh, I enrolled in this course after I graduated from the BTEC National Diploma in Food Science and Manufacturing Technology in 2018. Three years later, I have now completed the Level 5 Higher Level Apprenticeship, gaining a Foundation Degree in Food and Drink Manufacture, awarded by Ulster University.
What is your current job role and what does this involve?
Since joining Kerry Omagh as a Higher Level Apprentice in 2018, I have progressed through a number of job roles including Production Team Leader, Material Call-Off in the Kerry Omagh and Glasgow sites during the Covid-19 pandemic, and now more recently I have undertaken the role of Production Group Leader. All these roles have been interesting and challenging as I have worked within the company to ensure our products meet customer specifications, are manufactured efficiently, and to ensure business continuity during the Covid pandemic. I have been able to demonstrate my flexibility and develop my confidence when taking on these different roles within the site.
How has the HLA helped you in your career to date?
The HLA has given me a lot of opportunities to progress within the Kerry business and to gain experience in different departments. This has given me a good opportunity to see what job roles suit me best and what role I would like to do the future. Being able to earn while I learn has been a big benefit throughout the years and will help in my future career as I have gained experience in the world of work whilst studying. I have been very fortunate to have the support of the Kerry Group and the team members in Omagh with this progression in my career.
What benefits has the HLA given you?
The fact that you can earn while you learn has been a great benefit and being able to gain experience and knowledge from each department in the factory has been very eye-opening in helping me consider what job role I would like to progress in to in future years. Moreover, another great benefit is having 3 year’s experience and a Foundation Degree which is an unbelievable achievement and one that I am very proud of! I have also been able to secure my higher level qualification without incurring tuition fees.
What have you enjoyed most about the HLA to date?
Meeting different people on the course from different food companies plus the guest speakers and industry experts arranged by CAFRE has been great; hearing about how different companies do things has also been enjoyable. Studying while working can be challenging compared to studying full time but I do think that having the job alongside the qualification provides me with more motivation to do well in my studies and more drive to find out where I want to go in my future.
What next?
Now that I have completed the Level 5 HLA, I have decided to continue my studies and have just enrolled on CAFRE’s new Honours Degree (Level 6) Higher Level Apprenticeship in Food and Drink Manufacture. With a further two years of study, I will complete a Level 6 Higher Level Apprenticeship and gain an Honours Degree in Food and Drink Manufacture, awarded by Ulster University. All without incurring any tuition fees. I am looking forward to this new stage of my career journey.
What advice would you give a school leaver considering studying at CAFRE?
I strongly recommend studying at CAFRE. I have really enjoyed my time studying here and am looking forward to the next two years at the College. CAFRE has a great range of courses relevant to careers in the agri-food industry. Graduates have many exciting career options to consider after studying at CAFRE.