"Fresh produce companies can benefit from the Fresh Produce Academy"

The economy is in full swing, and fresh product companies are riding this wave of prosperity. You would say, all the more reason to be optimistic. Yet, Taco van der Louw of Dutch personnel agency, FreshRecruitment, has a word of warning. "Companies need to start thinking of new growth in staff. This can be from within the sector's pool. There are, however, good opportunities to train youngsters or take over people from other sectors", he says.

It is in these last two options that the recruiter is hard at work. "It is, of course, my job to place candidates. It is, however, not always pleasant to 'pluck them away' from other fresh produce companies", he says. "There are so many highly-qualified people available outside of the sector. However, some fresh produce businesses do not even bother looking at them. This is unbelievable. The sector is being professionalised, which is often driven by retail customers. This means that sometimes a different type of candidate is needed. Now, when a vacancy cannot be filled properly, these companies often appoint an internal person. This person does not always have the level of expertise necessary to do the job. I often get candidates from outside the sector who would love to work in the fresh produce world."

Taco is also advocating that the sector be rejuvenated. "There are a lot of 50-60 year-olds active in my trade sector. They have spent their lives there. But too few of them share the knowledge they have gained with the younger generation. It almost seems as if they see them as a threat. This is a shame because they have so much knowledge to share. For a long time, I have had this idea of beginning a kind of 'Fresh Produce Academy'", he says.

"Here, youngsters can spend time at the fresh produce companies. They can then get a broad education from experienced people. They can learn about quality, logistics, and supply chain management. Naturally, every season is different. This is precisely why the older employees should share their experiences. It seems to me that such an institute would be beneficial for the whole sector."

"I am convinced that the difficulties in the job market will continue for a while. The sector is flowing nicely, and all signals are a go. We have fantastic jobs to offer. Especially if you like the inevitable dynamics. There are a large number of vacancies in, especially, the quality and buying sides of the sector. It is in the sector's best interest to get fresh blood. They need to give people from outside the fresh produce sector more of a chance. I would love to hear from people who would like to brainstorm similar ideas", concludes Taco.

For more information:
Taco van der Louw
FreshRecruitment
Mob: + 31 (0) 653 526 246
taco@freshrecruitment.com
www.freshrecruitment.com