Interview
Why did you choose the Master’s programme in Food Science?
I had previously completed my Bachelor’s degree in Food Science in Brazil. I then came to Cologne because I have friends there. I looked around for Master’s programmes in North Rhine-Westphalia, but there weren’t actually that many courses in food science in this area. Through my online research, I then found the website of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. I didn’t know the difference between a university and a university of applied sciences from my time in Brazil, but I was told that one focuses more on theory and the other more on practice. I already had a very good grounding in theory from my five years of study, which is why I liked the high practical component at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. And that turned out to be the right choice for me. We really did a lot in the lab, visited various companies, gave presentations and so gained an insight into the practical side of the work.
Another factor for me was that the Master’s programme is in German. It would, of course, have been easier for me to study in English, but my thinking was that in Germany this is the best way to meet more people and eventually find a job. It was a big challenge, especially at the start, but ultimately it was perfect for me and I believe it has helped me a great deal in my job today.
You work in product development at Iglo. How did you find this job?
Ultimately, through my studies. We got to know companies during our studies, and one of them was in the field of sensor technology, which I found very exciting. That’s when I started looking into what other similar companies there were. So I’d already built up good contacts and received information from my lecturers whilst I was studying. I first heard about Iglo through an email from the university highlighting vacancies. During my studies, we had to complete a practical placement in a company, so I applied to Iglo for that. I then voluntarily extended my internship there and was given the opportunity to write my Master's thesis at Iglo. In my Master's thesis, I focused on improving the consistency of creamed spinach. I was subsequently offered a permanent role and initially started in technical production within the development department. I am now on my fourth contract with Iglo and have been promoted to ‘Assistant Product Development Manager Design’.
What is your typical working day like?
Initially, the practical side of things in the industrial kitchen and on the production floor took up a large part of my day. For my job, it’s important to understand production: the workflow, the process, the background. So why do you need a specific temperature and time? After all, there are good reasons for everything. So at first, I spent a lot of time with the various experts so that I could understand everything better.
I also need to stay in touch with all the relevant Departments (e.g. Quality Assurance). That’s why I’m now in the office more often than in the kitchen or on the production floor. By office work, I mean meetings and documentation. We have to enter everything we do and develop into specific programmes, calculate costs and share the information with other Departments. When I’m assigned a new project, as a designer I have to develop the product and coordinate all the information, such as the Nutri-Score, the correct cooking time, salt content, sugar content and so on.
What do you particularly like about your job?
I’m very happy at Iglo because everyone is incredibly helpful and inclusion is really put into practice here. We have people from all over the world working with us, and the central development department, which I’m part of, collaborates with many other EU countries as we develop products for Belgium, the Netherlands or Austria, for example. I find it very interesting that this area is so internationally active, because it simply means it never gets boring. Every project is different, and I’m in contact with lots of different departments, as well as with various markets, marketing departments and local developers outside Germany.
What knowledge and skills did you acquire during your studies that you can put to good use in your job today?
Firstly, the Master’s programme has made me more independent. For me, that was a big difference compared to studying in Brazil. Here, you have to learn more on your own, seek out information independently, ask questions, and contact with professors isn’t quite as regular.
And the second point is that, through my studies, I got to know many machines and processes very well. Back in Brazil, I would have asked how to build something or how to do something, and then a professor or teaching assistant would have shown me the solution by doing it themselves. At Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, it wasn’t like that. Here, for example, we got to know various machines and had to know exactly what their function was. And when you learn all that yourself and nobody does it for you, you get a different perspective on how everything works. I didn’t have that before. It’s the same with processes at work. Nice colleagues will show you how it’s done, but usually there’s just a document, a process description, and you have to read that yourself to know what you need to do.
What advice would you give to current and future students?
It’s definitely helpful if, when you start your Master’s, you already have an idea of what you want to do afterwards. Then you can also see right from the start which companies and which subjects are of particular interest to you. So know what you want and go for it during your studies. By that I mean, for example, doing additional research and learning more than just the knowledge imparted in the lectures. What I’ve always done: ask questions, be curious and show interest!
And finally, a tip for all international students who are (or want to be) studying for a Master’s in German: it’s really important to learn the language as quickly as possible. The language makes it a bigger challenge, but it’s not impossible, and afterwards we can get good jobs.
Date of interview: November 2023