[Up Front] Get On Board!

I recently returned from teaching a food safety seminar in Thailand. The experience was great. The students were attentive, the facility was top notch, and the food was outstanding. Each night after dinner I returned to my room to answer e-mails. One night after I had fallen asleep, the phone rang. I tried to answer the room phone, but quickly realized it was my cell phone. A flour mill employee in the United States was calling with questions about defect action levels. I was able to answer his question at 3:00 a.m. while I was thousands of miles away.

The next day a seminar participant asked about U.S. recordkeeping requirements. Since I was unsure of the answer, I logged onto www.FDA.gov and was able to answer his question within minutes. During this trip, I realized how much information we have access to at any time wherever we are.

Throughout my 30 years in the food industry, I have been fighting changes in technology the entire way. Learning each new form of communication has been difficult. I was the last to take my laptop on business trips because I found it difficult to use and was afraid that I might ruin the system. When they first became available, I didn’t think I needed a cell phone, but now I’m so attached that I carry it with me wherever I go. I remember my first international trip to North Africa 25 years ago. I spent $10 for a three-week-old issue of Newsweek just to have word from home. Now, I can visit news sites at any time to get late-breaking information.

If you and your organization are not connected to the Web, it’s time that you take advantage of the opportunities it provides. Teach your employees its value and provide them the resources to understand the tools and links available. At AIB, we adapt as the industry adapts. We learned quickly that although you can be ahead of the curve, you may be standing alone. As the food industry adapts to new technology we need to be there. Never before has so much information been just a click away.

At the same time, educational tools have never been more accessible. AIB offers a wide variety of online products, such as courses on HACCP, Food Defense, Food Safety, and the GMPs. In addition, we recently released a one-of-a-kind Web-based vulnerability assessment product. This is an exciting time of growth and new learning opportunities and I encourage everyone to become involved.

When I think about online technology, part of me is saddened because I realize it will take away the face-to-face instructor and student interaction. I think of all the students I’ve had the opportunity to teach in the past 30 years at AIB and how they have rewarded me. But, I also think about the future.

For example, a current customer has more than 20,000 employees enrolled in our Food Safety Essentials product. At a cost of about a $1 per student, each has access to 15 lessons in English or Spanish. An instructor would never be able to effectively train this many employees at one time. While I may be a little apprehensive about the changes in technology, I know that the potential is always greater than the problems. So, get excited and get on board! AIB

The author is Vice President of Food Safety Education, AIB International.