Food Tech students struggling to find placements

With the end of year looming, the requirement for Food Tech students to complete two summer placements is creeping up on their already loaded plates.  

Students said the process creates stress, financial strain and uncertainty. Many hope Massey will update their contacts and improve support, particularly for international students.  

Leah Mosen, a second-year student, had been in contact with at least 50 companies and the stress was getting to her.  

“It takes a lot of time and effort on top of our already heavy workload.” 

She said the hardest part was simply getting responses, finding most companies direct students to their careers website or tell them keep an eye out on Seek. 

“I'd rather have a clear no than false hope.” 

Mosen said the contacts the university does have are outdated. “We have lists from 2018 with no direct email contacts. Half of the time you're just navigating huge company enquiry pages that never respond.”  

Mosen believed Food Tech students who did secure a placement easily, relied on personal industry connections and family contacts.  

With the graduation ultimatum of placement, students found the stress affected academic performance. “ I find myself prioritising placement over studying, which puts other work on the back burner and heightened stress.” 

International students highlighted additional challenges including language barriers, unfamiliar workplace expectations, and costs associated with moving closer to placement sites.  

An anonymous international student said, “I am away from home, learning everything in a new language and it's hard. I still have to use translator apps to understand my notes and having to find placements on top of this is so difficult.”  

“Everything is so expensive and finding a placement close to residential areas is so expensive and the travelling is even more expensive.” 

A Massey University spokesperson said, “Students find their own placement and manage accommodation with guidance from academic mentors on applying for internships and preparing CVS.”  

They said the school provides support through industry contacts and relationships with employers, adding that international students can complete placement in their home country if approved. 

“The scheme gives students valuable work ready experience and helps them explore their own interests within the food industry.” 

Other students want more help from the university. For student Yvonne Bu it took six months of active looking to secure a placement.  

Bu wanted Massey to provide examples of companies' previous students have interned at, organise networking events, and provide helpful tips to find internships. 

Second-year student, Emma Liu agreed, “With exams and assignments, it just feels like a whole lot of unnecessary stress trying to find placement, when the process could be made a lot easier considering Massey may have industry connections”. 

Student Mackenzie Third accepted the hunt as part of adult life, and while it's a good skill the university is trying to teach them, it’s a stressful one. 

“I'm not saying ‘find my placements for me’, I have the freedom to pick something I'm interested in and near where I live, but there should be equal reciprocation from the university in terms of guidance.”  

As students continue to hunt for placements in the final weeks of the semester, questions around fairness, mental health, academic performance and accessibility remain pressing.  

While the hunt can teach resilience and independence, some want more help from the Massey to find and create opportunities.