For someone who enjoys trying out new food and flavours, Wallace Cheng, a quality assurance technician at Japanese instant-noodle manufacturer Nissin Foods, couldn't have landed a job better suited to his interests. Cheng, who graduated from the Institute of Vocational Education with a higher diploma in food science and safety last year, found his job in no time. Indeed, it was partly the demand for professionals in the sector which had first attracted him to the subject. 'I had, since Sars [severe acute respiratory syndrome] in 2003, observed how people had become more health conscious and had a heightened awareness of food safety stemming from food contamination [incidents], such as fears over [powdered] milk and some imported food from China,' Cheng says. Despite being the most junior member of an eight-person team at Nissin, the programme allowed the 21-year-old to hit the ground running because it covered the practical basics of quality control systems, hygiene and safety inspection, ISO certification, and research and development. At Nissin, he spends his days walking factory floors to ensure the facilities meet international standards, and tests food samples to make sure product content passes the requirements of different countries. His decision to work immediately following graduation is an approach encouraged by some at the Vocational Training Council (VTC). 'Gaining work experience can be much harder than studying, so I advocate students to gain work exposure whenever possible, prior to pursuing a top-up degree,' says Leung Yam-shing, an education adviser to the VTC. Meanwhile, Ken Chan, a higher diploma graduate in building services engineering, says continuing his studies was a natural progression. 'The higher diploma was useful in laying down a good foundation, but the top-up programme advances the scope of the learning to include more advanced calculations, analysis and covers special systems,' Chan explains. A three-month internship at a hotel's repair and maintenance division during the higher diploma programme also helped put theory into practise. Chan chose vocational training over re-sitting his A-levels. 'There is no guarantee with retaking the exam, but with the higher diploma, I knew I would get a qualification,' he says.
