Supply Chain Apprentice Review

Material Management Co-ordinator - Procuring packaging components in from suppliers for manufacturing orders. Ensuring delivery is on time to meet the production plan. International Distribution Co-ordinator - Allocating packed stock to customer orders and arranging export packing. Arranging transport via Road, Sea and Air. Producing billing documents and dealing with customer complaints.

I have developed my customer service skills as well as improving my decision-making under pressure and prioritising. I have learnt how to use new systems such as SAP and EWM. My communication skills have developed when communicating to colleagues, managers and external contacts. I also now have experienced what it is like to work in a professional office

I have really enjoyed my apprenticeship. The people I work with have shared there knowledge and skills allowing me to develop my own skillset. I have also been given responsibility to manage my own workload, trusted to get it all done. My academic studies have been relevant to my work.

My apprenticeship program was well structured with the 2 roles being split over 2 years. This allowed me to experience different ends of my company's supply chain, gaining knowledge and experience in each. My work to study time was well organised with a weekly plan. My line manager was always there to support this if needed

In each role i had a line manager who fully supported me in my work and academic learning. They organised regular 1:1 catch-ups and supported me with my application when applying for a full time position for after my apprenticeship. My team also supported me, mentoring me through the roles.

I had lots of support from my training provider through the form of site visits, online web calls and emails. They are usually reachable but always return your call if not. They provide materials to help my learning and provide feedback. Online calls are also recorded and are accessible to listen back to.

I think the learning from my qualification modules is highly relevant to my work. This has greatly helped with my understanding of my work and the business's processes. I also believe my work has aided the learning in my qualification as i can see a practical version of the theory i have studied.

I am a member of AZinspire and attend skype calls to listen to speakers from the business. Most of these are from a global management level and they talk about their learnings and experiences. I have also helped with national apprenticeship week and recruiting of new apprentices. I have also twice completed the Virgin Global corporate challenge.

Yes

AstraZeneca is a great place to work with lots of opportunities. AstraZeneca have helped my development and allowed me to seize opportunities to progress. They have lots to offer as a global organisation, there are many different roles both in Macclesfield as well as other sites around the world. I believe they also value their employees.

I would just say prepare by finding out about the business and don't be afraid to ask questions. Take a look at the companies values and behaviours and see if you can think of any instances when you have exhibited them. Providing these would boost the strength of your application.