Students will be discovering the recipe for a career in the food and drink industry at a series of free workshops run by the Food and Drink iNet at universities across the East Midlands.

Experts from leading food and drink companies will be on hand to give advice about careers in the sector. The workshops will also demonstrate the breadth of career opportunities available in the UK's food and drink industry.

The series kicks off with a workshop at the National Centre for Food Manufacturing at the University of Lincoln on November 3rd. Workshops are also being held at The University of Loughborough on November 11th, The University of Leicester on November 18th and at The University of Nottingham's Sutton Bonington Campus on December 2nd. They are also scheduled to take place at The University of Derby and The University of Northampton before the end of this academic term, with dates to be confirmed.

Up to 200 undergraduates and postgraduates are expected to attend the events, which aim to give accurate information and dispel any myths about careers in the food and drink sector.

The idea is to introduce students to the variety of different jobs available in the industry and to encourage them to explore the sector when making career choices.

"The continued success of the food and drink sector in the East Midlands and beyond depends upon talented individuals joining the industry," said Peter Maycock, Food and Drink iNet project director. "The food and drink sector is a very varied and dynamic sector in which to work, and we hope that these workshops will encourage undergraduates and postgraduates to look at taking careers in the food and drink sector when they leave university."

The Food and Drink iNet aims to foster innovation in the region's food and drink sector by encouraging businesses to turn new ideas into new business through the development of new technologies and products. It also hopes to stimulate new processes, services and ways of working in the industry to help boost the sector.

Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda), the Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by The Food and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, The University of Lincoln, and The University of Nottingham.