The beer that creates jobs: six new hires every day in the industry
Beer is good for employment. This is what the the latest data from the Beer Observatory, which reveals how in a country that is struggling to create new jobs, the beer industry is going against the trend. From 2015 to 2017, the number of people employed has increased by 5% (4,000 units). This is more than twice the national average (up 2%). This means that at least six people find work every day in the beer industry.
Althesys, on behalf of the Moretti Beer Foundation, has carried out the study “Le (insospettabili) professioni della birra” –The (unexpected) professions of beer. The sample surveyed is comprised of almost 7,000 employees of companies spread throughout the value chain: brewers, raw materials and packaging suppliers, logistics, wholesale and retail distributors and the restaurant and bar market.
The sector is also increasingly attractive, especially for young people, who recognise the beer industry as a real and concrete professional opportunity. And to confirm this there is data on the seniority of employees of beer companies: 50% of people have been employed for more than ten years and another 33% have been in their companies for at least five years.
50% of people have been employed for more than ten years and another 33% have been in their companies for at least five years
It’s an area that is commonly perceived as traditional, but is deeply dynamic and innovative, offering new opportunities to do business and new jobs. Without forgetting the three essential ingredients to turn a passion for beer into a craft, as the Observatory explains: “Product culture, training and specialization”.
According to the main players of the supply chain, to find work in the beer sector you need, first of all, to know the product well (18%) and the industry (5%). Managerial (11%) and business (8%) qualities are also in high demand, as well as staff training (14%). Among other watchwords, there are specialization (9%) and learning agility (8%).
An industry that is commonly perceived as traditional, but is deeply dynamic and innovative
The Althesys/Moretti Beer Foundation has identified the most strategic and sought-after, and often highly specialized or innovative, profiles of the beer supply chain. A professionalism that starts from the raw materials, design and creation of the beer product, up to the areas related to sale and promotion. Among the 15 profiles are the master brewer, the food technologist (of beer), the Food Chemical Engineer, the sustainability coordinator, beer specialist, tappers and beer sommelier.
As for the future of the sector, three macrotrends are expected. 41% of respondents emphasized sustainability, another 32% the development of new tastes and segments in the market, such as special beers, craft beers and the health trend which is considered central, and 18% believed digital innovation and e-commerce are essential.
85% of companies in the supply chain feel the need to invest in training. And it couldn't be otherwise in a sector that thrives on innovation and specialization
But training is also another of these pillars. 85% of companies in the supply chain feel the need to invest in training. And it could not be otherwise in a sector that lives on innovation and specialization, and that is changing rapidly, pandering to the growth of product culture in Italy. Training ranges from 6 to 20 hours per year per employee, depending on the size of the company, peaking in medium-sized enterprises.
To date, the Italian university offer is limited to a few courses of the Degree in Food Sciences and Technologies, while abroad there are various Universities and technical institutes that offer degrees, focused on the sector, in addition to numerous professionalizing courses that touch on more managerial aspects of the business and related to the enhancement of the final product. To bridge this specialization gap, between employment demand and supply, Heineken Italia created the University of Beer in Milan offering a theoretical and practical insight into the fundamentals of world of beer. So that the labor market can also toast.