Research and development apprentice (chemistry) Review

Approximately half of my time is spent performing experiments on and making prototype formulations for upcoming products that Unilever will go on to produce and sell, this can be in a variety of markets such as hair care, laundry, deodorant etc. The other half of my time is spent attending lectures, labs, tutorials for my BSc in chemistry at university.

I have developed my scientific skills when working in a lab and studying at university, such as collecting and presenting relevant data, as well as more widely applicable skills such as working in a team, communicating with others, delivering presentations, and learning how to work confidently in a professional environment.

I find the work that I do for Unilever to be rewarding both on a company level, such as being able to work on sustainability related projects, as well as the way it supports my personal development. It has been hugely important to my enjoyment that, although it has been hard work studying whilst having a job, I have had the opportunity to participate in university clubs and make friendships with other students.

Generally it is well organised, the opportunity to work in a new department each year is excellent as it helps broaden my view of the company as well as pushing my development further. However, the communication between the company and the university is not always good and has led to a few problems with my university timetables, not being aware of assignments, tuition fees not being paid on time etc.

A fair amount, the people who run the apprenticeship programme are approachable and helpful and we receive mentoring and support chats with older employees who have graduated from the apprenticeship programme. The HR team is very helpful to apprentices, and managers are generally aware of the role of apprentices in the team and how much work to give whilst acknowledging balancing work with study.

We are treated like any other university student on the BSc course. This is good as you do not feel like any 'less' of a student even though you are in the minority and not a full time student, however sometimes being an apprentice does require extra support, for example factoring in timetabling restraints within the week, or extra notice from lecturers as it can be easy to miss announcements when not at the university for much of the week, which is not always given.

Absolutely important, as although the university content is not always relevant to the workplace, on the whole the techniques learned in university lab sessions and the general skills acquired are widely applicable and give me a lot of confidence to be able to complete a task to a good standard. However, I find that a lot of what I have to do in work and will do in the future has been learned on the job.

I have participated in clubs at work such as 7-a-side football which is regularly scheduled and easy to get involved with. I enjoyed this, however the age demographic of most employees at work meant that a lot of the people that play were a lot older than myself, which made socialising a lot harder. More important for me has been the ability to get involved with the clubs at university. I am on the committee for a university club and being involved with other students has been a fantastic experience.

Yes

It is a global company which is excellent to add experience to your CV for the future. The ability to study my degree without any student debt has been incredible - between that and the skills and behaviours I have learned whilst working here have no doubt improved my future prospects. Aside from that, the company's ethos and focus on sustainability is commendable and it is a company I am proud to have worked for.

Think about what experience you want to gain for yourself and whether that would be best done at university or by pursuing an apprenticeship. When it comes to applying, it's most important to have genuine enthusiasm for the role, so try and get some work experience and see if it's for you, and if it is, just do your best to let that show in the interview.