Education · 1 of 4

The path

One degree, then you are in industry. Graduate school is optional here, unlike most science fields.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Chemistry, biology and math. Cooking at home helps more than you would think, because you need a feel for food.

2. 2

   Bachelor of Science in food science

   4 years

   Four years of food chemistry, food microbiology, processing, packaging and sensory evaluation. Guelph, McGill, the University of British Columbia, Dalhousie, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Laval all run programs.

3. 3

   Co-op work terms

   Adds 1 year

   Four work terms stretch the degree to five years and usually turn into a job offer.

4. 4

   First job

   Year 1

   Quality assurance on a plant floor, or junior product development in a pilot kitchen.

5. 5

   Specialise

   After 3 to 5 years

   Move deeper into product development, food safety systems, sensory science or regulatory affairs.