From Classroom to Quality Control: Sara Molla Ibáñez’s Journey at Frutinter

The path from academic study to a thriving career is often shaped by practical experience. For Sara Molla Ibáñez, a graduate of the Master’s Degree in Agricultural Engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), an internship at Frutinter proved pivotal in launching her professional development. Currently Head of Precalibration at Frutinter, Molla Ibáñez credits her education and early experiences with providing a strong foundation for success in the agri-food industry.

Early Exposure to Industry Standards at Frutinter

Molla Ibáñez’s journey began with an internship in the quality department at Frutinter, a large-scale fruit packaging company. This experience provided firsthand insight into quality management practices. She was immediately involved in real-world tasks, including product quality controls, line control, and ensuring adherence to customer requirements. This early exposure was crucial in understanding the coordination required between production, warehousing, and quality assurance to deliver optimal fruit to both domestic and international markets.

The Internship as a Launchpad

The internship wasn’t merely observational; it was a hands-on learning opportunity. Molla Ibáñez emphasizes that she was given the opportunity to participate in genuine departmental tasks, which allowed her to grasp both the technical aspects and the importance of interdepartmental collaboration. This experience proved instrumental in securing a full-time position with the company. “The internship was key due to the fact that it allowed me to get to know the company from the inside and understand its way of working,” she explains. During this time, she learned quality standards, warehouse processes, and team dynamics, demonstrating her interest and learning capacity, ultimately leading to a permanent role.

Master’s Degree: A Solid Technical Foundation

Molla Ibáñez highlights the value of her Master’s degree in providing a comprehensive understanding of the agri-food sector. The program delved into not only production but also management and quality control. She found the degree particularly useful in understanding the complexities inherent in the agri-food industry, allowing her to articulate how technical and organizational processes work together to ensure a safe and high-quality final product.

Essential Skills for Success

Several key skills acquired during her Master’s program have proven invaluable in her current role. These include:

• Quality Management and Food Safety: Essential for working with fresh products destined for diverse markets.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Critical for evaluating processes, managing incidents, and accurately assessing quality parameters.
• Global Vision of the Agri-Food Chain: Enabling an understanding of how technical decisions impact the final product quality and facilitating communication with international teams.

Navigating International Quality Standards

One of the most challenging aspects of Molla Ibáñez’s role involves coordinating quality aspects for fruit destined for international markets. This requires ensuring compliance with both internal standards and the specific requirements of each destination country. She has directly applied knowledge gained during her Master’s degree related to quality control, post-harvest handling, and process management to overcome these challenges. The ability to analyze potential issues and collaborate with different departments to resolve them before products reach the market has been particularly significant.

Advice for Future Master’s Students

Molla Ibáñez offers valuable advice to future Master’s students embarking on their internships: “Make the most of the internship and try to go beyond the tasks you are initially assigned. It is important to question, observe and try to understand the entire production process, not just the area in which you are.” She also recommends demonstrating initiative and a willingness to learn, as internships often serve as a gateway to professional opportunities.

Sara Molla Ibáñez’s story exemplifies the power of combining academic knowledge with practical experience. Her journey from student to Head of Precalibration at Frutinter demonstrates the value of a strong educational foundation and a proactive approach to career development.