laborer

shift leader

maintenance technician

technician

truck driver

Maple Leaf Farms

Set up my area which took 1 hour, put together two machines a 510 and Hobart. Got my ingredients checking the bill of materials before using them to make sure I was given proper materials and didn't mix anything that didn't need to be mixed which could cause a waste of 2000 pounds of product. Kept track of 7 pieces of paperwork, my batch paperwork kept track of what I used to make each batch. Slurry kept track of what ingredients I added tot he trim/skin. Raw meat usage to keep track of what I used and the variance of trim/skin that could be lost. A time study to make sure I was being efficient and not wasting time. Metal detector checked every hour to make sure not metal was put into product. A pallet inspection log to check  and make sure there was nothing that would contaminate the trim/skin before we chopped it apart. Weighed all materials to the exact measurement it was needed within 45 minutes to 1 hour pushing and weighing 100-500 pound tanks of meat. This was a major multitasking and time management job which I had myself and the chopper who ground up the trim/skin before I used it all else was in my care, I was left to do this on my own only checking with my supervisor to make sure things were on task and the line was running smooth enough I could keep making product and if not I stopped to help the line catch up and then continue my work. 

I learned great time management, quality assurance, Paperwork control, Area/team Management, Forklift certified, Bill of material reading, Making my own bill of materials, and complete self reliance to get the job done without being told to or asking what I should do next.

Management was about the worst I have had in any work place yet, a lot of them didn't know how to operate any of our machines or much of the paperwork and didn't usually make what I felt was the best call. I had many issues with it I voiced in a reasonable manner but felt I was ignored.

Co-workers were great I had an excellent time with them and could always rely on them to do a side job or help them out if I had time. In my first week when ever I had gotten behind they were over there helping me get a boost to finish on time and keep the line running.

The hardest part of my job was getting it done every hour. If the meat was very cold it would seem fluffy and would fill our bins fast weighing about 250-350 pounds causing me to have to empty them faster so he had bins to put meat into. If it was warmer or soft it would clog the machine and my chopper would have to stop constantly to clean it out. I had a floor scale in my area but had to use one from another area as they didn't have mine fixed the whole period I worked there is was never fixed. Had to go to another area to weigh ingredients when my smaller scale wasn't working and I had two that didn't work and I saw everyday were back in maintenance with other items just stacked on top of them. Had to work with the duck area to let them use the Hobart in time to get there product out and still run my skin though it and get my jobs done. I did get used to it and got the job done no problem but it caused a great deal of stress on myself to do so.

The most enjoyable part of the job was just being able to make the calls I felt were right to get the job done not ask and have to wait 1 hour to get a response back and my job was very time sensitive. Being able to do physical work and the mental work at the same time, my days passed by quickly even though I was doing hourly metal checks and having to watch time to get my team to breaks and lunches on time.

The place is chaotic.  Employee and management turnover rate is ridiculous.  It's a revolving door.  As an employee who worked their way up the food chain, I had the chance to see a lot.  As an employee, you're worked hard, constantly yelled at (unless you had a close, personal relationship with the supervisor...then you could get away with anything).  When the job was done, you were done.  In some areas, that could mean a 6 hour day or a 13 hour day.  Scheduling was in complete disarray.  That's a production employee's life for you.

As a QA, it's not as bad.  Hours are pretty much set for the week.  A Tech rotates through the different lines.  There are special projects that get handed down from management.  Some are a complete waste of time and go nowhere, some actually have some sense to it.  All depends on which way the wind blows.

As a QA Lead, much, MUCH different.  Your life is no longer your own.  You live in that place.  If a Tech misses, you're there.  If your manager misses, you're there.  And God help you if you don't have your phone charged at all times as you were on call 24/7.  Special projects?  A ton of them!  A Lead is worked as a slave.  When you're short staffed and have a ton of projects on your plate, you don't take actual breaks and lunches,  You run outside, grab a smoke, grab a soda and then it's back in.  You eat and drink on the run.

Plus, since it's a USDA facility, that can be double trouble.  You are in charge of the quality of the facility overall.  If USDA has an issue, they come to you.  Think you can get a supervisor involved to help you when there's an issue?  Only when threatened with USDA action.  Then if things aren't up to USDA standards, the area gets tagged off and then you get to answer to Upper Management as to why.  It's your responsibility.  

It's an extremely stressful job.  They do not pay anyone enough to deal with the types of stresses that come with the position.  Would I go back to it?  Nope.  Not on your life.  My position was extremely secure there.  I made it my life for years.,,,until I had enough.

1st process/New York room is where the live ducks are brought in, hung by the feet on shackles of the production line, stunned, killed, defeathered, dipped in and removed hot wax and then transfered to the eviseration department to be processed. It is a very hot work environment year round. In the summer once it starts hitting 80° the department is a sweltering sauna that feels like death at 95-100+ degrees and 100% humidity. Seriously. Every job at this facility is constant repetitions and I promise you won't be ready for the amount of ducks you will be killing daily so be prepared for your hands, back and probably your heart to hurt for awhile. Management and leadership positions  (supervisor, lead, utility) are literally never in the department so don't expect anyone to properly train you or come to your aid if need be (machine/line breaking down, issues with product/production, need to use the restroom etc.) and you never know when you will be off work every day. Good luck!

I interned at maple leaf farms for three months in 2014, and I liked it a lot. 

They treat their employees very nice. The housing provided is a hotel room with king bed. The project that I worked on is real individual projects, and you can get lots of experience from doing them. You are very welcome by the company, and they treat you as you are their real workers. They listen to your advice, and they valued them a lot. They trusted in you for your project, and they will give you the opportunity to learn things that you would like to know. 

I worked at the Leesburg plant, and I am majoring in process engineering. The plant manager is very kind to answer any questions that I have. My supervisor gave me so much support during my time there.

They have super high standard on quality control and safety control. Their standard is way higher than USDA requirements.

I really recommend anyone that want to have industry experience intern with them.

The job is nice depending on your department, but the turnover rate is astounding because they use workers like Bic lighters. A doctors note or court order makes no difference, if you miss you are pointed regardless of circumstance, which takes up a lot of the turnovers. The management is laughable at best, bosses leave to smoke cigarettes and watch TV on their phones in the parking lot while employees need them. There is hardly any order in this workplace, all of the tools needed to perform the job are usually broken in some way, machines break down regularly because maintenance is overpaid and under qualified. They let half of their employees leave 2 hours early because the busses don't wait and will leave people there all night. This leaves everyone else stuck working until almost 8 at night, 12 hour shifts almost every day. They hire lots of Puerto Ricans so it is a very diverse workplace.

I was able to bring new option to any co. that I worked for. able to train new Maintince crew, new Opr. change production area for more Eff. Was able to help management on production decisions with my past experience, modified equipment to improve packing and Eff. Was able to work with USDA on the floor for safe packed product. Quality Control spects. to meet our customers need and goals. Was able to fore fill the Managers Duties on there Absence. Able to keep good records for any Audits and involved during any audits, Purchase parts and Equipment for day to day repairs, Schedule preventive Maintince to all hourly Employees during there Schedule Hrs. Implement weekly Safety Meetings with all employees. Finished day to day pay roll to hourly employees. Implement company policies to all hourly employees.

A typical day at work started at 6:45am until 3:30pm. I learned how to run all the machines on the chicken line, I learned packing and shipping, I learned how to build an entire skid by myself, I learned how to do the whole process of the chicken cordon bleu's. I learned how to keep up with the line so you wouldn't get a pile up. The management were very helpful when you needed it. The hardest part of the job was the fact that it is only 38 degrees in the factory at all times since you are working with processed frozen meat. The most enjoyable part of the job for me was running the machines.

clock in and start pulling boxes from conveyer belt and load on skids. If banding belt breaks supervisor says to continue loading, but fda peron says not to. Managemnet does not communicate well with each other. I stack boxes on skids. Hardest part of job in getting the boxes to the top of the stack that is 2-3 feet above my head. I enjoy my co-workers great guys to work with except union members who stand around alot. I have no problem giving 110% it is just aggrevating to do it when I see others standing around doing nothing. Best part of job they draw names that once a week someone gets to either come in late or go home early.

It's like once you start working at this place you're stuck there. I absolutely hate it. The Supervisor in my department sucks. He is not management material. He does not stick up for his employees when they are right, he is disrespectful in terms of speaking to people and he is unfair. He likes to play around at times which is great to keep the day going but that is about the only thing good I can say. He doesn't really know how to run his department and doesn't really have a care in the world. The company as a whole don't care if you have a family or things to do. They don't even care if you live an hour away and it's snowing hard outside to the point where you can't see anything. They just don't care. They work me like a slave in this place.

Great place to work. Good pay and for the most part pretty nice people. Management is going to be the biggest down fall on the company. No training just getting thrown anywhere they feel like putting you and expect quality work. I loved my job and the management alone caused so many of us to just walk out on a job we loved due to the disrespect , unprofessional over working lac of help and stupidity of all management.  I would go a whole week 6 days 65 hours. And maybe get a lunch brake 2 times out of the week and if I did it was always after at least 6 to 7 hours of working straight with 1 15 min brake before that. But like I said that was if I was lucky. Most of the time the 1 15 min brake 2 hours in to my 12 hour shift was all I would get. Something needs to be done.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Laborer 4 salaries reported	$19.87 per hour
Shift leader 5 salaries reported	$22.00 per hour
Maintenance technician 11 salaries reported	$25.50 per hour
Technician 15 salaries reported	$20.92 per hour
Truck driver 1 salary reported	$30.16 per hour

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