Operations Degree Apprentice Review

On a daily basis I react to issues in the plant to ensure we can continue producing, plan and deliver training to upskill our operators so they can become more self-sufficient. Aside to this I work on my university assignments and CMI coursework. Generally, my day is not predictable but I am heavily involved in the plant operations

One of the biggest skills I have learnt is people management skills. I have learnt how to engage and speak to people as part of a leadership role. I have also learnt how to operate SAP and record our stoppages. This allows me to look at data for the machines and understand what we can do to improve it.

Generally I enjoy the programme, however there is relatively poor organisation in terms of work placement. My cohort are spread across different Nestle sites and there is never a set programme for everyone to follow and there is a lot of deviation. On a daily basis I generally enjoy it though.

The organisation of my programme is poor due to my cohort being the first trial one. There is limited structure in terms of daily role, only mandatory training and experiences which must be done by the end of the year. The ultimate role at the end is Level 3 manager, however I don't know what this looks like

On a daily basis I receive a lot of support from my manager, however in terms of the company in general there have been times in the past especially when I started where I had limited support and had to make my own tasks and job throughout the day. This was really challenging but can add to a character building experience

On my block weeks at SHU there is generally plenty of support from the tutors in how to complete the assignment. The issue generally comes from the long distance learning outside of this period. However, as part of my apprenticeship you are expected to be self-sufficient with your learning. So as long as support is given during the module week it is okay

There is no clear link between my degree and day job. As aforementioned this is the first year they have done this and sometimes it is hard to link a business degree to a factory environment, especially at shop floor level. However, some modules such as HR, managing data, ethics etc. have increased my awareness and people skills.

There is a social club at site which often run trips to various locations, I have not engaged with this as of yet. I have had opportunities to interview and network with people across the business in York. There is a running club on site, but again I do not participate.

Yes

Generally Nestle is a good company to work for, I would say as a general rule they care for their employees and emphasise wellbeing. There is a lot of variance across sites in this approach. However, there are a lot of opportunities to work with different people, in different areas of the world or different job role opportunities.

Specifically when applying for the Operations Degree Apprenticeship I would recommend having previous work experience and a certain level of maturity due to the high expectations. Generally Nestle is quite relaxed and appreciate diversity so as long as you are honest and true you should be okay. I would also recommend working in one of the head offices for a more commercial environment.