Design and Technology - Food technology

What is it? It's the study of the production of food for a mass market. Forget knocking up a spaghetti Bolognese on the hob; we are talking here about the industrial production of food.

Why do it? Because you are interested in the idea of feeding the nation, and you would like a good job (food technologists are in huge demand). The wide range of jobs in product development alone can appeal to the applied scientist, the creative person, the marketeer and the manager.

What skills do you need? A mix of subjects in the A-C range at GCSE that should include double science and maths. You don't have to be able to cook. "I'm a lousy cook," says Keith Proudlove, principle examiner of food technology for Edexcel, and head of the Centre for Food at Sheffield Hallam University.

How much practical work is there? One third of the course. One of the three modules at AS-level is a practical project and it's the same format at A2 level. Students will produce a food product that is capable of being mass-produced. They photograph it, test it on a taste panel, refine it until it tastes just right, and write the whole thing up. Different kinds of pizza toppings are a very popular choice; so are complete meals that can be frozen.

Ratio of coursework to exams: One third coursework, two thirds exams.

Is it hard? It's not that hard but there is a lot to do. You have to be quite organised to do well.

Who takes it? About two thirds are girls.

How cool is it? On the tepid side but the signs are that it is becoming more fashionable. The word is that it leads to good jobs. Added value: You get to taste lots of different kinds of food and to go on trips to visit food factories where you get given edible freebies.

What subjects go with it? Just about anything, but if you want to go into the more technical side of the job, you should keep some science going.

What degrees does it lead to? Food science, food technology, food marketing management, food and nutrition, public health and nutrition.

Will it set you up for a brilliant career? Absolutely. We are only producing about one third of the graduates that the food-technology industry needs, so you will get snapped up when you graduate. Within three years you could be earning pounds 35,000 as a food technologist. "I know someone who is earning pounds 125, 000 organising the distribution of food to the forecourts of petrol stations; she only graduated five or six years ago," says Keith Proudlove.

What do the students say? "We enjoy it very much. It's academically challenging and rewarding," says Sarah Cox of Therfield School, a mixed comprehensive in Leatherhead, Surrey, who is also taking English, sociology and general studies at A2. "It's also a subject that you can talk about to another person without looking like you are showing off, which you might if you talked about history, say."

Which awarding bodies offer it? Edexcel, AQA.

How widely available is it around the country? It's everywhere.