Food technician to food grader

• already held apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages skill
• already held food and beverage industry knowledge
• already held food legislation knowledge
• already held food materials knowledge
• already held food preservation knowledge
• already held food product ingredients knowledge
• already held food safety principles knowledge
• already held functional properties of foods knowledge
• already held legislation about animal origin products knowledge
• already held perform food risk analysis skill
• already held perform quality audits skill
• already held prepare visual data skill
• already held processes of foods and beverages manufacturing knowledge
• already held quality assurance methodologies knowledge
• already held analyse samples of food and beverages skill
• already held follow hygienic procedures during food processing skill
• already held write work-related reports skill

• optional, not held advice food processing professionals optional
• optional, not held advise on food preservation optional
• optional, not held develop standard operating procedures in the food chain optional
• optional, not held exert quality control to processing food optional
• optional, not held handle communications in the food processing industry optional
• optional, not held keep up with innovations in food manufacturing optional
• optional, not held measure precise food processing operations optional
• optional, not held perform detailed food processing operations optional
• optional, not held provide food labelling expertise optional
• optional, not held apply scientific methods optional
• optional, not held identify hazards in the workplace optional

• not needed by the target role adjust production schedule skill
• not needed by the target role administer ingredients in food production skill
• not needed by the target role analyse packaging requirements skill
• not needed by the target role analyse production processes for improvement skill
• not needed by the target role analyse work-related written reports skill
• not needed by the target role apply GMP skill
• not needed by the target role apply HACCP skill
• not needed by the target role apply control process statistical methods skill
• not needed by the target role apply food technology principles skill
• not needed by the target role assess the life cycle of resources skill
• not needed by the target role assist in the development of standard operating procedures in the food chain skill
• not needed by the target role be at ease in unsafe environments skill
• not needed by the target role calibrate laboratory equipment skill
• not needed by the target role carry out checks of production plant equipment skill
• not needed by the target role check quality of products on the production line skill
• not needed by the target role check quality of raw materials skill
• not needed by the target role circular economy knowledge
• not needed by the target role clean food and beverage machinery skill
• not needed by the target role cleaning of reusable packaging knowledge
• not needed by the target role combination of flavours knowledge
• not needed by the target role combination of textures knowledge
• not needed by the target role develop new food products skill
• not needed by the target role energy efficiency knowledge
• not needed by the target role ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production skill
• not needed by the target role ensure finished product meet requirements skill
• not needed by the target role ensure full functioning of food plant machinery skill
• not needed by the target role ensure public safety and security skill
• not needed by the target role evaluate ingredient documentation from suppliers skill
• not needed by the target role fermentation processes of beverages knowledge
• not needed by the target role fermentation processes of food knowledge
• not needed by the target role follow-up lab results skill
• not needed by the target role food canning production line knowledge
• not needed by the target role food ethics knowledge
• not needed by the target role food waste monitoring systems knowledge
• not needed by the target role handle delivery of raw materials skill
• not needed by the target role identify the factors causing changes in food during storage skill
• not needed by the target role investigate customer complaints of food products skill
• not needed by the target role keep inventory of goods in production skill
• not needed by the target role laboratory-based sciences knowledge
• not needed by the target role listen actively skill

23 further entries not listed here

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

• still to learn food authentication techniques required
• still to learn food safety standards required
• still to learn food science required
• still to learn food storage required
• still to learn risks associated to physical, chemical, biological hazards in food and beverages required

Yes, and it is a substantial move. A food technician already covers 43% of what a food grader is expected to do: 17 skills carry over, 14 of which the food grader role treats as required.

16 required skills are missing, plus 11 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is grade foods.

Its learning distance is 65.8 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.