CMI Apprentice Review

Day-to-day, I am a global homecare CMI assistant, meaning I help analyse consumer and market insights to develop brand and marketing strategy. I get to work with a wide variety of people, both within my team and across the business (either from different functions or locations). I get to liaise with external research agency partners on a daily basis as there are always projects running, which I get to help lead. My responsibility within these projects is typically to commission research, write briefs, organise the marketing team and deliver stimuli for the agency to be able to do their job. Once the research is complete I get to organise debriefs and make recommendations to the wider team about what to do with the learnings, as well as cascade relevant information to the whole homecare/laundry division.

I've learnt loads being on this apprenticeship (even only 9 months in) because I had never worked in marketing/CMI, for Unilever, or studied at degree level before. The whole experience has been a learning curve but a very positive one. The expectations have been high but that has only encouraged me to push myself. I'm about to finish the first year of my degree course (chartered management degree apprenticeship), and so far I have trained in Microsoft excel, digital skills (such as VR, Google Analytics etc), personal development courses and mental health first aid. I can't fault the opportunities that have been made available to me. I am a part of Young Unilever Minds and BrightSparks, both of which aim to champion youth in the workplace and utilise their ideas to implement real change.

I really enjoy my programme, more than I originally thought I would. I feel I've come into my own by pursuing this career path, and working for Unilever is so rewarding - I absolutely love it! My team is so so lovely, everyone is, and everyone's ready to support you when you need it. The company itself is one that champions talent and I'm proud to be a part of it because I can see my opportunities for progression already. The programme really sets you up to be able to progress at a much faster rate than, for example, someone who traditionally went to university then enrolled on a graduate scheme.

As a whole, I feel extremely valued by Unilever, noted in the way I'm involved in so many initiatives and given a voice at every opportunity. Line manager support could be slightly better in terms of praise etc but my manager is less vocal so I've learnt to know when I am appreciated (everyone's management style is different and I accept that). I've also had plenty of praise and encouragement from external agencies who have expressed on multiple occasions how much they enjoy working with me, in addition to the feedback I receive from my team about the support I give them with projects and other work issues.

The programme itself is very well structured, with a clear induction, training days, study support etc. The only thing that has been slightly tricky for me is the structure of my team (myself and two part time senior managers) where the hierarchy isn't filled out enough to be able to delegate properly - however by having many jobs delegated to me I've experienced a breadth of tasks that have improved the way I approach my role.

I always get support from the OU when I need it, as I have two tutors and a programme delivery manager who are always about when I need them. In addition to their emails/phone number there's more staff available through the OU forums to be able to answer questions and queries.

I always get loads of support from my employer when I need it. I have so many connections in different teams that whatever I need I can find the help quickly and easily. I've had a couple of personal issues since joining and the whole team (HR, apprenticeship leaders, my manager etc) have all been on board to help me resolve it which has made me feel a lot better about if I have issues in future. They're always happy to help and sort things really quickly for me so I don't stress out too much.

Overall, the salary is quite good for an apprenticeship, and there is of course the additional cost of my degree which is covered by Unilever. However, my programme is in London and I have very different circumstances to others on the same or similar courses. I don't live a "luxe" life in London but rent and bills still take the majority of my salary. I barely have enough after this to cover food and travel to work, let alone social costs or the cost of travelling to see my family (I moved to London for the role). It makes living a bit difficult sometimes, and it's not exactly pleasant to have to live every aspect of your life as "basic".

There are plenty of opportunities outside of the day job - I myself am involved in Unilever's mental health and wellbeing team, leading it for 100VE. I'm also a part of Young Unilever Minds and BrightSparks, initiatives which aim to be more inclusive of youth in the workplace and help connect young workers with senior leaders to make more informed business decisions together. I'm also currently working to organise Unilever's float for the London Pride parade this July, which will be a really exciting event that our CEO Paul Polman is attending this year. There are always opportunities to volunteer at Unilever - we even have our own platform for volunteering! Examples of this include Walls' "Week of Joy" where we hand out free ice creams on the streets of London, and a local initiative where a team worked in a restaurant that helped to give back to London's homeless. There are always company/team events, like our Christmas parties and team bonding sessions - last year we had a Great Gatsby themed Christmas party (one of four I attended!) There are also plenty of fundraising activities and sporting tournaments to get involved in, but it varies depending on location.

Yes

I would recommend Unilever to anyone, but especially to people in the beginning stages of their career because they really care about young people. It's a completely different dynamic than other companies I've worked for; the workplace is completely inclusive and apprentices aren't treated any differently than other employees. We're recognised for our skills and talents, and that for me is the most rewarding feeling. Unilever care about youth development, and making us an integral part of the workforce from day 1. You get given real responsibilities and are celebrated for being an individual. I couldn't think of a better place to work!

The pivotal moment for me in the application process was the assessment day where I had an interview, presentation, and group activity. The key here was to be confident in myself and what I had to bring to the company as an individual. There was a moment in the group activity where I thought I wouldn't be able to show my ability but I was patient and soon enough I got my opportunity to shine. Don't panic if it seems like someone else is voicing all of your ideas! It's one thing to have ideas, but to be able to explain and apply them to a business case shows intuitive thinking - which is exactly what we like to recruit in apprentices! The entire process of being told I'd been accepted, my induction/onboarding, job role introduction etc was all very timely and it allowed me to make the decisions about moving house and leaving my previous job in good time so I could settle in. The entire apprenticeship delivery team at Unilever are lovely, and they make sure to check in with you throughout the whole process so you know you've always got someone to direct questions and queries to.