Professional Documents
Culture Documents
I, Mr. Dharamdeo Singh, postgraduate student of the University of the West Indies, am kindly
requesting you participation in completing a very impactful and important survey based on
Exploring the talent needs of the Food Safety Professionals in Trinidad. Your thoughts and
opinions will be kept in the strictest confidentiality and will be used by the University to better
equip students for their future in the food industry. This survey will require 5 to 10 minutes for
completion. Kindly answer all questions and follow the relevant instructions pertaining to the
various questions. You can contact me about any questions or concerns relating to the survey at
singhdharamdeo@yahoo.com or by cell (8683165784) (868-706-7160). The final date of
submission is on December, 2015.
Dharamdeo Singh
Student of the Food Production Department
Faculty of Food and Agriculture
University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
Questionnaire
Please read instructions carefully and answer all questions.
Section 1
General Information
This section contains general information about the company to be able to better
understand a profile of your company.
Chaguanas
Port of Spain
San Juan
Confectionary Processing
Beverage Processing
Fish Processing
Dairy Processing
Flour milling
Condiment sauces
Pasta Processing
Section 2
Capabilities of UWI Undergraduates
To perform at their full potential UWI students needs a combination of theoretical and practical
academic skills. This section seeks to determine what are the areas in of theoretical or practical
skills that you think may be lacking in UWI undergraduates.
4) What area do you believe that the UWI undergraduates are lacking?
Theoretical knowledge
Practical skills required by food production processing companies
5) The table below presents some of the major theoretical and practical skills that students
should possess. In your opinion indicate with a tick () for each option whether you agree or
disagree that students are lacking the various skills.
Theoretical
Strongly
Moderately Slightly
and Practical
disagree
Disagree
Skills
Knowledge and
understanding
of Good
Manufacturing
Practices
Knowledge and
understanding
of hazard
analysis critical
control points
Disagree
Agree
Agree
Theoretical
Strongly
Moderately Slightly
and Practical
disagree
Disagree
Skills
The importance
of sanitation
standard
operating
procedures and
standard
operating
procedures
Maintenance of
food production
equipment
Ability to test
foods at the end
of processing
for quality and
safety using a
variety of
techniques
Skills necessary
for research and
development
Comprehensive
knowledge and
understanding
of food safety
laws at a
national,
regional and
international
level
Disagree
Agree
Agree
Section 3
Importance of Various Skills to the Company
Skills are abilities that can be learned by a person. However aside from academic skills that are
directly related to food safety and quality, food manufacturers also require/prefer employees to
have a broad range of skills.
6) The table below aims to highlight those skills which food manufacturers value the most.
Please indicate with a tick () the level of importance of each of the skills listed below.
Skills
People
Teamwork
Leadership
Ability to
navigate and use
computers, and
handle
quantitative and
management
information
Co-curricular
activities
Technical skills
Communication
Interpersonal
Qualities
Not
Important
Least
Moderately
Important
Important
Neutral
Important
Very
Most
Important
Important
Skills
Employment
(internships)
Grade Point
Average
Employment
and work
experience
Foreign
language
Higher
education or
other
qualifications
The match
between field of
study and job
task
Not
Important
Least
Moderately
Important
Important
Neutral
Important
Very
Most
Important
Important
Section 4
Advantages of the Appropriate Food Skills Required for your company
Having the required skill set allows employees to be more proficient in their primary role.
This section is to highlight the areas in the UWI curriculum that are excellent.
7) The table below refers to the advantages of having the necessary theoretical and practical
skills. Please indicate with a tick () what are some of the advantages that you think you may
achieve from students with food safety training skills?
Advantages
Employees
taking
initiatives
Work carried
out efficiently
Confidence of
managers in
the work
carried out by
employees
Requires little
or no
supervision
Production of
quality goods
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Slightly
Moderately Strongly
Agree
Agree
Agree
Advantages
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Slightly
Moderately Strongly
Agree
Agree
Agree
Increase in the
overall
production of
company
Food safety
management
and food
safety control
skills
Ability to
develop and
evaluate
research and
development
for practical
production
Others: please specify and rate as above
_________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Section 5
Disadvantages of Inadequate Food Skills
A lack of proper skills can impede production for manufacturers. This section aims to determine
what are some of the disadvantages you think you may face from UWI undergraduates who may
have an inadequate skill set.
8) In the table below please indicate with a tick () the level of agreement each of the
disadvantages listed below.
Disadvantages
Employees
are unable to
perform task/s
assign
Employees
take long
periods to
carry out their
designated
task/s
Poor quality
work from
employees
Strongly Moderately
Slightly
disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Agree
Disadvantages
Strongly Moderately
Slightly
disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Agree
Employees
require
constant
assistance
Employees
are constantly
making
mistakes
Managers
have to resign
task/s to more
capable
employees
Employees
have to be
retrained in
the area of
food
production
Section 6
Skills that Require Improvement
The curriculum at UWI is designed to provide students with the necessary food safety and
quality skills; however more emphasis should be place on those skills that food manufacturers
deem as important.
9) In the table below please indicate with a tick () the level of agreement that you think
needs improvement for each of skill provided.
Skills
Strongly
Moderately
Slightly
disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Slightly
Moderately
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Agree
Personal skills
Leadership skills
Technical skills
Communication
skills
Management
skills
Computer skills
Business skills
Critical thinking
and problem
solving skills
Research skills
Section 7
The Essentiality of the Curriculum of the University of the West Indies Food Production
Program
The curriculum at UWI is prepared to enhance students ability and assist them for the working
environment so that they can contribute positively to society. Therefore recommendations from
employers are extremely valued.
10) Do you think that a UWI graduate is adequately trained to work in the food production
companies?
Yes
No
11) As a food safety and quality manager what would you recommend to improve the curriculum
at the University of the West Indies so that students would be better able to satisfy the needs
of the working economy? In the table below please indicate with a tick () the level of
agreement of each of the recommended skills below.
Recommended
Skills
Programs
should allow
students to have
a more hands
on experience
in the various
aspects in food
production
Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Agree
Recommended
Skills
Programs
should place
more emphasis
on HACCP and
its prerequisites
(GAP, GMP,
GHP, etc.)
Students should
have career
counseling to
ensure there are
guided on the
right path
Programs
should include
small projects
which will
allow students
to develop
better
leadership,
teamwork,
management
and
communication
Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Agree
Recommended
Skills
Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Agree
skills.
The university
should foster
relationships
with companies
so that there can
be internship
programs
available
Section 8
Ability of the company to provide training
This section aims to determine if additional training is provided or needed for UWI undergraduates.
12) Does your company prefer to employ persons who possess working experience prior to their
employment at your food company?
Yes
No
13) Does your company offer internship opportunities for undergraduate students?
Yes
No
14) Is having working experience in a food processing company a criterion for employment at
your food company?
Yes
No
15) Does your company providing additional / supplementary training for employees involved in
the food safety aspects?
Yes
No
16) Is additional / supplementary training provided to both old and new employees?
Yes
No
Every 6 months
Yearly
Equipment maintenance
Section 9
Respondent Profile
19) What position / designation do you hold at your company?
Manager
Assistant Manager
Supervisor
5 10 years
11 15 years
16 20 years
Over 20 years