Canada’s Agri-Food sector, particularly meat and seafood processing, is a significant contributor to our nation’s economy, and was recently identified as one of Canada’s top growth industries over the next 10 years. Despite this, the sector continues to face a critical labour shortage that, if left unresolved, will impede the industry’s growth, employment opportunities, and overall sustainability. To address this shortage, The Food Processing Human Resources Council (FPHRC) has embarked upon a landmark Labour Market Information Study (LMI). In its finality, the LMI will provide government and decision-makers with the research needed to make real regulatory change that will bring both prosperity and opportunity to the processing sectors.
Taking the Pathway: Understanding Career Paths in Quality Control and Quality Assurance lays crucial groundwork for the LMI by defining occupations and career paths related to the quality control and quality assurance function of food processing. Utilizing this data, the LMI will take in-depth reviews of each career path, and their specific challenges and opportunities.
This document provides practical information about the career paths available for workers in quality control and quality assurance. In a time when attraction and recruitment of workers is important to keep up with demand, the career pathway can be helpful to educate potential workers about the opportunities and career pathways within the sector. The career pathway is a helpful tool for employers to attract, recruit and retain productive and skilled workers.
To learn more about the career pathways in quality control and quality assurance, we:
The career pathway for quality control and quality assurance illustrates the progression of occupational levels from foundational skills to executive management. The career pathway is comprised of six (6) levels. The typical entry-point into the quality control and quality assurance function is at the Foundational Skill Level.
Note: While Quality Control and Quality Assurance are presented separately, many organizations either do not differentiate between the two concepts or they use the terms interchangeably. Typically, when there is a ‘quality’ department, the focus of the system is quality assurance with quality control activities being a component of the overall system. For the sake of this analysis, quality control is more about the repetitive sampling and testing that ensures the quality of the product on the line. Quality assurance is more about the overall quality system
High Skill Level workers within food production may transition into a quality control specific role (e.g. Quality Control Inspector1 ) on the production line. While still considered to be a production worker, these quality-control specific positions require extra training on quality, food safety, inspection, auditing and grading. These workers still report to production lead hands and supervisors, but are champions of quality on the line and model positive quality control behaviours and practices to their fellow workers.
Applicable NOC Code(s)
NOC 9465-C – Biologists and related scientists
NOC 2222 – Agricultural and Fish Products Inspectors
Sample Titles for Entry Level product development positions include:
Sample Titles for Foundational Skill Level jobs serving a Quality Assurance function on the production line include:
Intermediate Skill Level is the entry-point for positions within the Quality Control and/ or Quality Assurance department within a food processing facility. Unlike Foundational Skill Level positions which are production department positions and report to Production Supervisors, the Intermediate Skill Level workers are trained in Quality Control processes and report directly to a Quality Control/Assurance supervisor, manager or senior technician. Intermediate Skill Level workers will possess a diploma or degree in food science, or a related field. They will also have a working knowledge of HACCP and GMPs. Experience in food processing, as well as quality assurance systems, guidelines and standards, are all strong assets.
Applicable NOC Code(s)
NOC 2211 – Chemical Technologists and Technicians
Sample Titles for Advanced Entry Level product development positions include:
Sample titles for Intermediate Skill Level jobs within Quality Assurance departments includes:
Supervisory Skill Level workers typically have 3-5 years of experience in quality control/ assurance within the food processing industry, in addition to a degree in food science and technology or a related discipline. Additional training in relation to food safety management systems, training and management is often required. In addition, workers may have to attain practitioner certification in various food safety management systems or approaches.
Applicable NOC Code(s)
NOC 9213 – Supervisors, Food and Beverage and Associated Products Processing
Sample Titles for Supervisory Skill Level Jobs within Quality Control Function include:
Sample Titles for Supervisory Skill Level Jobs within Quality Assurance Function include:
Management Skill Level workers typically have a minimum of 5-7 years of supervisory experience within the quality control/assurance function of a food processing facility. Leadership experience is considered an asset. Managers are required to have a minimum of an undergraduate university degree in food science or a related field, and a graduate level university degree being preferred or considered a strong asset.
Applicable NOC Code(s)
NOC 0911 – Manufacturing Manager
Sample Titles for Management Skill Level Jobs within the Quality Control function include:
Sample Titles for Management Skill Level Jobs within the Quality Assurance function include:
Senior Executive Leadership Skill Level workers typically have significant quality control/ assurance experience (e.g. 10+) years within food and beverage processing facilities. Graduate level education and significant leadership experience are often required. Food safety management program (e.g. BRC, HACCP, SQF) is often required. They are responsible for managing corporate affairs and lead the strategic direction and vision of the overall organization in regard to quality control and assurance. Skills in organizational management and business administration are critical.
Applicable NOC Code(s)
NOC 0016 – Senior Manager – construction, transportation, production, and utilities
NOC 0911 – Manufacturing Manager
Sample Titles for Senior Executive Leadership Skill Level Jobs within the Quality Assurance function include:
TITLE
EXPERIENCE / EDUCATION
MANAGEMENT
SUPERVISORY
INTERMEDIATE
FOUNDATIONAL
TITLE
EXPERIENCE / EDUCATION
SENIOR QA MANAGER
QA MANAGER
QA SUPERVISOR
QA SUPERVISOR
QA SUPERVISOR
QA SUPERVISOR
QA SUPERVISOR
QA SUPERVISOR
QA SUPERVISOR
HACCP COORDINATOR
The following graphic illustrates a typical career progression within the quality control and quality assurance function within the food processing sector (ie. Direct fish and seafood processing).
As the graphic illustrates, workers within High Skill Level occupations from the production department (such as Lead Hand) may move to the Quality Control/Quality Assurance Department and assume a role of Quality Control Inspector. This position is still a production/ processing line position, but the Quality Control Inspector performs quality control tests and
Our research helped to identify key issues and challenges that are unique to the quality control/ assurance within the food processing industry:
Quality Functions on the Production Floor
There are quality functions (in regard to inspecting and grading) that are performed by processing workers who have received extra training to perform this specific function. They perform this quality function on the line and most often report to a production/processing supervisor, not the QA department. There is no vertical movement of these workers within QA departments as they do not have food science training to perform quality assurance functions (such as the Quality Assurance Technician role).
High Educational Skill Requirements
A higher level of qualifications is required by most QC/QA positions. For the purposes of the analysis it appeared that technicians required a minimum of a diploma (and in some cases a degree) credential. Supervisory and management positions typically require a degree in food science or a related field (with a Master’s degree being a strong asset for higher level management) and significant experience.
Quality Control (QC) is a set of activities for ensuring quality in products. The activities focus on identifying defects in the actual products produced.
Quality Control aims to identify (and correct) defects in the finished product. QC, therefore, is a reactive process. The goal of QC is to identify defects after a product is developed and before it’s released.
Quality Control refers to quality related activities associated with the creation of project deliverables. QC is used to verify that deliverables are of acceptable quality and that they are complete and correct. Examples of QC activities include inspection, deliverable peer reviews and the testing process.
LEVEL/NOC
SAMPLE TITLES
DESCRIPTION / DUTIES
EXPERIENCE / EDUCATION
Management
NOC 0911 – Manufacturing Manager
Supervisory
NOC 9213 – Supervisors, Food and Beverage Processing
Intermediate
NOC 2211 – Chemical Technologists and Technicians
Foundational
NOC 9465 – C Testers and Graders, Food and Beverage Processing
**Note that this function is performed on the line and with direct report to the Supervisor of a production department.
Not a QC department function
For some species / plants, grading is performed by CFIA or CFIA approved / certified inspectors
Quality Control (QA) is a set of activities for ensuring quality in the processes by which products are developed.
Quality Assurance aims to prevent defects with a focus on the process used to make the product. It is a proactive quality process. QA refers to the process used to create the deliverables, and can be performed by a manager, client, or even a third-party reviewer.
The goal of QA is to improve development and test processes so that defects do not arise when the product is being developed.
Examples of QA include process checklists, project audits and methodology and standards development. QA activities are determined before production work begins and these activities are performed while the product is being developed. QA is process oriented and focuses on defect prevention.
Senior Executive Management
NOC 0911 – Manufacturing Manager
Management
NOC 0911 – Manufacturing Manager
Supervisory
NOC 9213 – Supervisors, Food and Beverage Processing
Supervisory
NOC 9213 – Supervisors, Food and Beverage Processing
Supervisory
NOC 9213 – Supervisors, Food and Beverage Processing
Intermediate
NOC 2211 – Chemical technologists and technicians
Intermediate
NOC 2211 – Chemical technologists and technicians
Intermediate
NOC 2211 – Chemical technologists and technicians
Foundational
NOC 2222 – Agricultural and Fish Products Inspectors
Foundational
NOC 2222 – Agricultural and Fish Products Inspectors