Chartered Management Apprentice Review

As part of my apprenticeship at Unilever, I undertake various role rotations within the supply chain department. I am currently working in the Credit Control Department and do a lot of work around the analysis of Held Orders. I look at the Held Orders 3-4 times a day and have to make the decision as to whether various orders can be released on not. I have various other responsibilities around this, such as checking customer debits & credits, sorting & sending out invoices and creating End of Day Held Order Reports.

I personally feel have learned a great deal in my time at Unilever and I have only been here about 8 months! I have also learned a lot through the Open University Business Management course I am doing as part of the apprenticeship, it has really helped me to understand the business I work for and where & how my role fits in. Unilever have been great at offering internal training courses, especially ones on how to use various tools and formulas in Excel! As well as these courses, my roles have really helped to develop my existing skills. My first rotation was a Customer Facing Specialist so my communication skills improved greatly, and Credit Control has also helped to develop my numerical skills.

After having never studied business before, I was a bit worried when I first joined the company as I feared I would struggle, taking longer to grasp things than those that had studied business in school. This was, however, far from the case as I was made to feel welcome from day one and the inductions and training were very in-depth. In my time here I have worked with a great team of people and have made some really good friends along the way! We all talk and see each other regularly and there are plenty of things to get involved in outside of work. I am thoroughly enjoying my apprenticeship and cannot wait to see what the next 3 years has in store for me!

Unilever made me feel valued from the beginning. I think many people have the idea that apprentices are not given much responsibility, doing odd little jobs to help out their colleagues or line managers. At Unilever, this is definitely not the case! From the start I was given responsibility, but so not much that I felt overwhelmed. As a Customer Facing Specialist, I was given a small portfolio of customers to look after and in Credit Control was given the responsibility of looking after a set of Held Orders. Whenever I have done a job well or noticed that something needs changing, my manager and colleagues always show their appreciation, letting me know that it was a job well done or a good spot.

My initial induction at Unilever was very in-depth and lasted a couple of weeks. We were introduced to people in various roles within Supply Chain, each giving us a brief overview of their role. Training was completed on-the-job, initially shadowing more senior colleagues who then sat with me and watched as I had a go at various things. Even once training was completed, everyone in my team was always there and happy to help the moment I became stuck or unsure. On arrival at Unilever, I was given a mentor who is not currently based in the same office as me, but we have regular catch-up calls through Skype. She has also provided me with plenty of advice and has taken a keen interest in my studies, supporting me the whole way through. The apprenticeship allows us to take 8 hours of study time a week during work. There are plenty of places in the office where it is quiet and we can go and sit to do some studying. There is even the option of booking a meeting room to do this!

The Open University have also provided plenty of support. They offer both face-to-face and online tutorials to help us through our course and assignments. They also break the course down week by week, helping us to see if we are on track or not. Our Practice Tutor visits and phones us regularly to talk about our progress and to discuss any issues.

I receive a great deal of support from my employer. I have regular 1-2-1 meetings with my line manager to discuss my progress as well as any concerns I may have. My mentor is also a consistent source of support. Although she does not work in the same office as me, we catch up regularly and I can always email her if I need help with my university coursework or just need some advice in general. I never feel like any support, help or advice I need is too much for my manager or colleagues. I feel I can easily approach them as and when I need to!

The salary is more than I expected for an apprenticeship. I currently still live at home, so it is more than enough to cover my travel and social costs. I also have a horse and find that I can afford to pay for his needs with this wage. The salary also increases each year as we learn more through the apprenticeship which, for me, was something I did not expect. It is another added benefit of this apprenticeship.

There are plenty of opportunities to meet outside of work! We had a Christmas Party at the end of last year which was a lot of fun and everyone had an incredible night! My department also do a lot of work for the charity 'Shooting Star Chase' so there are plenty of fundraising activities to get involved in. I recently completed a 'Tough Mudder' with two of my colleagues and we managed to raise an amazing £1,000 for this incredible charity. The community of apprentices here are also fantastic at arranging nights out where everyone can get to know each other and it helps to build up a supportive network. I am really good friends with many apprentices at Unilever, both old and new, and we meet regularly outside of work.

Yes

Unilever is an amazing company to work for. Some of the work they do is incredible and they are not just about making and selling products. They have a strong focus on sustainability and protecting the environment and every employee is encouraged to be a part of this. They give you the opportunity to be part of something bigger. There is plenty of support from day one and you have the opportunity to meet some amazing people! The work is interesting and you will learn so much, no matter what level you come in at. There is plenty to get involved in and, for me, it has meant some incredible experiences that I will never forget.

My advice would be to get your application in early because you do not want to miss out! Other than this, I would say just be yourself and be honest about the reasons why you want to work for Unilever. Do not just be passionate and commited about the work, research and understand the comapny's values and the work it does around sustainability. This company is about so much more than just produing and selling consumer goods! The assessment days involve various different activities and may initially seem daunting but enjoy the experience! And there is no need to feel anxious on your first day because, believe me, you will feel welcomed the moment you step through the door!