A career at South Coast Baking could be as sweet as the cookie dough the company makes and ships across the country.
The company’ s career opportunities include jobs in manufacturing, quality control, management and administration. Many of those jobs do not require a college degree.
Mario Oliver, Assistant Supervisor on the manufacturing line, found a career with South Coast better than all the others he had worked through a temporary job agency.
“ It’ s a great team to work with,” Oliver said.“ Every day they give me a chance to improve.”
Billie Zuniga took initiative to build a career in the plant’ s quality control division. She started at the plant packing frozen cookie dough into boxes. She quickly moved up to the quality control position, since she had experience in the field.
“ I take pride in my job,” Zuniga said.“ You can advance here. You have to pay attention, get along with people and have a good attitude.”
Eric Chappell, Transportation and Purchasing Manager, was one of the first employees hired well before the plant even opened in 2014. During the renovation of the facility, Chappell helped with building maintenance, since the work he was hired to do would not be needed until it opened.
Chappell’ s early duties included cleaning, sweeping and any other task to help with the renovation.
“ Whatever needed to be done, I did it,” Chappell said.“ It was eye-opening. Working like that helped me better appreciate and understand our facility.”
Darren Taylor, Director of Operations for the Springdale plant, said baking can be a good career. Taylor, a native of England, started out helping his father. His work and consultation in the baking business has taken him all over Europe and to other continents.
“ I’ ve traveled the world due to baking,” Taylor said.“ I never thought it would take me that far. Instead of looking at your work as a job, you have to think of it as a career.”
Zuniga and the quality control team make sure the products leaving the factory meet company standards. Cookies baked for testing must meet certain requirements for size, appearance and taste.
South Coast looks for people who are not afraid to step up and do what needs to be done, no matter what their job is.
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