In discussing the Certified SQF Practitioner credential, newly certified practitioner Cheriene Griffith poses an interesting question:
“Most plants have a dedicated SQF practitioner,” she says. “So why shouldn’t they all get this credential?”
It’s a fair point, and one that Griffith understands from the perspective of a food safety professional who has already enjoyed a wide variety of experiences in her relatively brief career. She’s started with the United States Navy, moved to food safety in quality assurance and operations roles with various organizations, took a detour into the world of cannabis production, and emerged back in food with Torn Ranch, a Petaluma, California-based company that bakes, roasts, and crafts specialty snacks. In the middle of this journey, she also earned her MBA.
SQF and the power of process
With a process-based mindset formed from her background in the military, Griffith was well situated to flourish within her current career trajectory.
“The miliary environment is very much about rules and regulations, and my brain really works well that way,” Griffith says. “Food safety was just a natural progression from there.”
Today, in her role as the director of food safety and quality assurance at Torn Ranch, Griffith deeply appreciates the importance of rigorous procedures in the safe production of food. That not only includes HACCP protocols, but also the SQF ecosystem as well.
“When I came to Torn Ranch in 2022, we were about to have our first SQF audit, so I was able to come in and launch us from there,” Griffith recalls.
As she delved deeper into everything that SQFI can offer, Griffith began to realize that there was a big opportunity to take her wide mix of experiences and gain an important credential.
“As I really got into SQF over the last couple of years, I started seeing information about the Certified SQF Practitioner credential,” she says. “I realized that it would be good for me, so I went ahead and earned it a few months ago. Since then, after posting my new credential on LinkedIn, I’ve had a lot more networking opportunities. I think it’s great to have something that shows you know your stuff.”
Exam perspectives
Although it has only been a few months, Griffith already realizes that the Certified SQF Practitioner credential offers her a fresh perspective on the food safety industry and her place within it. It supports her with her employers, partners, and auditors, too.
“Having this credential shows that I’m not just some person walking in off the street,” she says. “It solidifies my role and experience for anyone I work with.”
The Certified SQF Practitioner exam, although thorough and rigorous, was not an impediment to Griffith’s achievement of the credential.
“I was happy I passed the test on my first try! It really validated that I know my job,” Griffith says with a smile.
“I would tell anybody that’s been in food safety for any amount of time and has been through at least one or two cycles of SQF audits not to worry about the test,” she says. “If you know your stuff, you know your stuff. The questions were very fair. If you do this work all day, every day and you’re living and breathing food safety you’ll do well.
“A few of the questions were worded in interesting ways,” she continues. “I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a great question. Let me think about that. OK, if I was in this scenario, what would I do?’ And that’s what a majority of the exam was all about, which is what it should be as a practitioner credential, right?”
Looking ahead
When asked to consider what she foresees in the future for her industry, Griffith is insightful—and optimistic.
“I really think that technology and AI are accelerating in a good way,” she says. “I’m seeing a lot of training tools that are AI and AI augmented. The labor pool is getting younger, so they’re used to interfacing with some sort of screen. When it comes to training, instead of just sitting in a room and having death by PowerPoint about some abstract procedure, now there’s technologies where you could just have a QR code next to a piece of equipment that can show you exactly how to pull it apart and clean it, or how you’re supposed to make a certain product. It’s incredible how fast that technology is coming on board.
“I’m also seeing a lot of companies that are very proactive about their testing regimes,” she continues. “I think that’s why we see recalls every single day for something as detrimental as listeria. They’re all proactive. We’re testing a lot more, and a lot more effectively, because the lab tests are getting more accessible, and it’s easier to test your product so that you can keep it from going to the market if there’s a problem. I’m seeing a lot more pathogens than ever before, and it’s because food producers are getting ahead of problems. It’s an interesting and beneficial shift in mindset throughout our industry.”
Recognizing food safety professionals like Cheriene Griffith, with their wide experiences and perceptive insights, is exactly why the Certified SQF Practitioner credential was established. It allows them to learn, grow, and share their knowledge with a flourishing community of colleagues. The Certified SQF Practitioner credential is helping create the future for a safer, more efficient food-production industry.
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