Katarin Mägi
"If you have the opportunity to do a placement, go for it. You will learn so much about yourself, the field you are in and what career opportunities are out there."
Placement company
Center of Food and Fermentation Technologies, EstoniaMy placement experience
I worked for the Center of Food and Fermentation Technologies in the Meat Alternatives team as a food technologist and researcher. My main responsibilities included planning experiments and making the recipes for meat alternative prototypes and carrying out the formulation in the food lab. I performed chemical and analytical experiments involving sample preparation and instrumental analysis and got to participate in sensory evaluation, as well as providing ongoing support in team projects.
A general highlight was getting the opportunity to taste loads of different ingredients, as well as products still in process and new products on the market. Some were really tasty, others not so much!
My biggest takeaway
Work–life balance is key! You can’t please everybody and you need to put yourself first to really enjoy what you are doing. It will make you more motivated and inspired to do what you enjoy long term.
My placement in three words?
Unique, flavourful, educational.
"A general highlight was getting the opportunity to taste loads of different ingredients, as well as products still in process and new products on the market."
Life back at Surrey
I was excited to return to university and use the knowledge gained from my placement. The practical experience I acquired helped me to understand the subject in more detail and I got a sense of how I could apply theoretical knowledge in future.
My advice
If you have the opportunity to do a placement, go for it. You will learn so much about yourself, the field you are in and what career opportunities are out there. It will also help you decide whether you want to pursue that kind of work in future.
Also, what you put in, you get out. As I had a positive attitude and was happy to help others and learn from every experience, I was given more responsibilities and perks that made the placement more fun.
Find out more about our Food Science and Nutrition BSc.
