Case study: Putting food and drink engineering on the careers map
For the first time, Primary Engineer welcomed a partner from the food and drink sector to support the “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” Leaders Award competition.
KP Snacks, home to some of the UK’s best-known snack brands, joined as regional partner in East Central England, helping pupils discover the creativity, problem-solving and technical skill behind food and drink manufacturing.
Together, Primary Engineer and KP Snacks helped young people see food and drink manufacturing as a creative, technology-driven career path. The partnership brings engineers into classrooms, gives pupils a chance to solve real-world problems, and strengthens the future talent pipeline for a sector facing long-term skills challenges.
Why KP Snacks got involved
The partnership came at an important time for both the food and drink sector and KP Snacks, as manufacturers look for new ways to attract future engineering talent and show young people the breadth and excitement of technical careers available in the industry.
“At KP Snacks, we recognise the growing skills gap across the engineering sector and the challenge of attracting future talent into these critical roles. That’s why we believe businesses need to do more to inspire young people and showcase the exciting opportunities that a career in engineering can offer. Food and drink engineering offers exciting, rewarding and future-focused career opportunities, but many young people simply aren’t aware of what the industry has to offer. It’s a sector that combines engineering, technology, innovation and problem-solving in a way that directly impacts millions of consumers every day. As an ambitious business with a long-term view, we want to help change that by introducing engineering careers at an early age and demonstrating how innovation, technology and problem-solving are used every day in our industry.”
Primary Engineer’s “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” Leaders Award competition encourages pupils aged 3–19 to interview engineers, identify real-world problems and design creative solutions. For KP Snacks, the competition felt like a “natural fit”.
“The Leaders Award felt like a natural fit because it engages children at an early age, encouraging creativity, problem-solving and an interest in engineering through real-world challenges. It also provides a meaningful opportunity for our colleagues to connect with local schools and share their experiences, helping to bring engineering careers to life.”
According to KP Snacks, being a “good neighbour”, supporting local communities and building a local legacy are central to why the company wanted to support Primary Engineer.
“At KP Snacks, being a good neighbour and supporting our local communities is an important part of who we are.”
“As a business with deep roots in the East Midlands, we are incredibly proud that generations of local families have worked at our sites since the 1960s. It is not uncommon for us to have parents, children, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins all connected to KP Snacks. Those family connections have helped shape our culture and success over many decades, and we want that legacy to continue for generations to come.”
“Partnering with Primary Engineer provides a fantastic opportunity to engage with schools and communities, helping to raise awareness, spark curiosity and inspire future engineers. For us, it’s about investing in the talent of our region and ensuring local young people can build rewarding careers close to home.”
What has the experience been like?
For KP Snacks, a regional partner in East Central England, the past year has included many highlights.
“While the entire journey was incredibly rewarding, the judging and awards process really stood out for us. The creativity, imagination and problem-solving demonstrated by the children was genuinely inspiring. Some of the entries were simply brilliant, full of innovative ideas and thoughtful solutions to real-world challenges.”
“What made it even more special was seeing the pride and excitement of the children as they presented their ideas and received recognition for their achievements. Meeting them and their families at the awards ceremony brought home the impact of the programme and the importance of encouraging young people to think differently, dream big and believe in their own potential. For our colleagues, it was a powerful reminder that the next generation is full of talent and ingenuity. The experience left us feeling optimistic about the future and proud to be playing a small part in inspiring the engineers, innovators and problem-solvers of tomorrow.”
Conclusion
As the first food and drink sector partner to join Primary Engineer, KP Snacks’ partnership marked an important milestone for the competition and a proud moment for both organisations.
“Being the first partner from the food and drink sector is something we’re incredibly proud of. It demonstrates our commitment to investing in future talent and helping to raise awareness of the exciting careers available within our industry.”
“For us, this is just the beginning. We see Primary Engineer as a long-term partnership that aligns perfectly with our ambition to inspire the next generation and strengthen the pipeline of engineering talent for the future. As a business that has been part of local communities for decades, we recognise the important role we can play in helping young people understand the opportunities available to them and encouraging them to consider careers they may not otherwise have explored.”
“Being a pioneer in this space gives us a strong foundation to build on, and we already have ambitious ideas for how we can deepen our involvement, reach more young people and create even greater impact. Ultimately, we hope our partnership not only benefits KP Snacks and the wider food and drink sector, but also helps young people discover fun, rewarding and future-focused careers that will shape the industry for generations to come.”
Get involved
Huge thank you to KP Snacks for sharing these valuable insights. If you have worked with us and would like to share your experiences, contact us on marketing@Primaryengineer.com
KP Snacks’ message to other food and drink businesses considering STEM outreach is simple: “Go for it.” Outreach offers a chance to challenge perceptions, showcase the industry as innovative, technology-driven, fast-paced and constantly evolving, and help young people develop confidence, curiosity and a clearer understanding of what they are capable of achieving.
If this sounds like something you would like to do, speak to us today to learn more about how we deliver impactful outreach the Primary Engineer way.