From first shift to future manager: why food manufacturing deserves a look from young people

I heard a story once about a teenager who took a summer job unloading lorries for a big supermarket.

It was not glamorous work. It was early starts, heavy lifting, busy shifts and the kind of job most people would describe as ‘just a way to earn some money’.

That teenager was Doug McMillon.

He started with Walmart in 1984, unloading lorries in a distribution centre while still at school. Years later, after working his way through the business, he became CEO of Walmart – one of the biggest companies in the world.

It is a brilliant story, but not because every young person who starts in a warehouse will become the boss of a global business.

That is not the point.

The point is much simpler.

A first job can change how someone sees themselves.

It can teach confidence, discipline, communication, teamwork and resilience. It can show a young person that they are capable of more than they thought. It can give them a first rung on the ladder when they are not sure where to begin.

That is why I think food manufacturing deserves a much closer look from young people.

Because in our sector, first shifts can become proper careers.

We need to talk about young people and work differently

There has been a lot of recent coverage about young people in the UK who are not in education, employment or training, often called NEETs.

The latest Office for National Statistics figures show that, in January to March 2026, an estimated 1.01 million young people aged 16 to 24 in the UK were NEET. That is 13.5% of people in that age group, up by 89,000 compared with the previous year. 

Behind that number are real people.

Some will be applying for jobs and not hearing back. Some may have left education without a clear next step. Others might have lost confidence after a poor first experience of work. Many will not be short of potential – they may just be short of a practical opportunity.

That is where sectors like food manufacturing can make a real difference.

It may not always be the first career path young people think of. It might not sound as polished as tech, finance or a graduate scheme. But it is full of real jobs, real skills and real chances to progress.

Food and drink manufacturing is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, employing hundreds of thousands of people across the country. It is also a sector that needs reliable people, trains new starters, promotes from within and offers many different routes once someone gets their foot in the door.

A young person might start in production, packing, hygiene or warehousing. Over time, they could move into machine operation, quality control, stock, logistics, team leadership, planning or management.

That is not theory. It is something we see.

The factory floor teaches more than people realise

Anyone who has worked in food manufacturing knows the pace can be intense.

Products need to be made safely. Lines need to keep moving. Standards need to stay high. Teams need to work together, especially when orders change, demand spikes or someone calls in sick.

For a young person, that environment can be a powerful place to learn.

They quickly discover that turning up on time matters. Listening matters. Hygiene matters. Following instructions matters. So does being the person others can rely on when the day gets busy.

Those are not ‘soft’ skills. They are life skills.

They are also the same habits that good supervisors, managers and leaders need later on.

That is what makes a first shift so important. At the time, it might feel like packing, lifting, checking or cleaning. But underneath that, someone is learning how work works.

They are learning how to be part of a team.

They are learning what good communication looks like.

They are learning what happens when standards slip.

Most importantly, they are learning that they have something useful to offer.

For many young people, that is the moment everything starts to change.

The best leaders often understand the work from the ground up

Doug McMillon’s story stands out because it shows how far someone can go when they start close to the operation and keep learning.

He is not the only example.

Pano Christou, CEO of Pret A Manger, started as an Assistant Manager in Pret’s Carnaby Street shop at the age of 21. Pret says he has held 10 different positions in the business, including General Manager, before becoming CEO.

That kind of journey says a lot about the value of learning a business from the inside.

Then there is Marco Bertacca, former CEO of Quorn Foods. When he joined Quorn as CEO, his first weeks in the role were spent working as a factory worker. 

I love that example because it flips the usual idea of leadership on its head.

Even as CEO, he knew the factory floor mattered.

That is especially true in food manufacturing. The factory floor is not a small part of the business. It is where standards are protected, orders are fulfilled, customer promises are kept and teams prove what they can do.

If you understand that part of the business, you understand something very important.

You understand the heartbeat of it.

Young people do not need to have everything figured out

One mistake we sometimes make is asking young people to know exactly what they want to do with their lives before they have even had a proper first job.

That is a lot to ask.

Many young people do not need a perfect career plan. They need a decent start, a clear explanation, a fair chance and someone willing to support them through the first few steps.

Food manufacturing can offer that.

A young person can come in, learn the basics, earn money, build routine and start to see where they might fit. Some will enjoy the teamwork. Some will like the machinery. Some will take pride in food safety and quality. Others might discover they are good at helping new starters, solving problems or keeping calm under pressure.

Those little signs matter.

They are often the first clues that someone has more potential than they realised.

I have seen candidates arrive nervous, quiet and unsure, then grow into confident team members because someone gave them a chance and kept backing them.

That does not happen overnight. It happens shift by shift.

A good first week becomes a good first month. A good first month becomes trust. Trust becomes responsibility. Responsibility becomes progress.

That is how careers are built in the real world.

Employers have a big role to play

This is not just a message for young people.

It is also a message for employers.

If we want more young people to see food manufacturing as a serious career option, we have to make the first experience a good one.

That means clear communication before the shift starts. It means proper checks, safe working conditions, simple instructions and honest expectations. It means making sure people know where to go, what to wear, who to ask for and what the role involves.

It also means treating candidates like people, not just names on a rota.

At Rapid, we talk a lot about speed, reliability and fulfilment because our clients need dependable teams when demand changes quickly. But the candidate side matters just as much.

When people feel informed, supported and respected, they are more likely to turn up, settle in and stay.

That helps the candidate.

It helps the client.

And it helps the sector build the next generation of workers, team leaders and managers.

A first shift can be the start of something bigger

I would never tell a young person that food manufacturing is easy.

It is real work. It can be busy, physical and demanding. Standards are high because they have to be.

But that is also why it can be such a good place to start.

It teaches young people how to work, how to be relied on and how to take pride in doing a job properly. It gives them a way into a sector that keeps the country moving and puts food on tables every day.

So, if you are a young person wondering what comes next, do not overlook food manufacturing.

Your first role does not have to be your final destination.

The first shift might feel like a small step. A clock-in. A production line. A lorry being unloaded. A job you took because you needed to start somewhere.

But sometimes, starting somewhere is exactly what changes everything.

Doug McMillon did not begin as a CEO.

He began by unloading lorries.

And that is the part of the story we should pay more attention to.

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Whether you’re looking for your first job, your next step or a fresh start, food manufacturing could be a great place to begin. View the latest vacancies at Rapid and see what opportunities are available near you: https://www.rapid-personnel.co.uk/vacancies/

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