At the plant in Inch, Gorey, Co Wexford, we work on the Yoplait range of products. We produce yoghourts, frommage frais and deserts. We're a 24hour-a-day operation employing 160 people. As a shift manager, I'm the only management person on site during my shift. I report to the production manager.

Up to 70 people work on a shift and my responsibility includes quality, health and safety, the environment, maintenance, training and recruitment. My ultimate goal is to ensure that the lines produce top quality product unceasingly.

The job is mostly about communication. It's challenging and it stretches you. You have to deal with people at all levels of the business - from student placements to top level management. It's highly pressurised. I receive a communication on average every 30 seconds.

I started with the company when I was a student. I spent six weeks on work experience when I was doing a food science degree at DIT Kevin Street. After graduation I joined the graduate recruitment programme and worked in plants in Dublin, Manchester and Waterford.

Although it's a two-year programme, I was offered the position of shift manager after a year. I've been with the company nearly three years now. It's an exciting place to work. We have over 100 products and between 10 and 15 new products are introduced every year. The factory is state of the art and we're working with high-tech equipment.

At school, science was my best subject - and I love food. At third level and in my career I've combined the two. There are a lot of fascinating jobs in the industry - particularly in R&D and product development. The scientific end of production is extremely interesting.