R&D Degree Apprentice Review

My apprenticeship has allowed for rotations in different roles within the 5 years. I currently work in a data role: I create dashboards on PowerBI for other teams to gain insights into specification data. There are many ways I show different datasets to help tell a story about trends / data quality. My previous roles have been more R&D based, improving the formulations of ice creams

The apprenticeship scheme has allowed me to develop many skills. Some of these have been role-specific, such as report writing, coding, and data analysis. I have also developed my skills in communication, presenting and teamwork. By completing a degree part-time, it has helped to develop my time-management skills whilst also teaching me how to prioritize.

I have really enjoyed my programme. I have seen many different aspects of ice cream R&D with my different rotations and it has allowed me to find a role that I love. I have really enjoyed learning from experienced members of my team and applying what I have learnt at university into my day-to-day role.

The programme is extremely well structured. The rotations occur annually and all apprentices know where they are moving to with sufficient time to arrange a hand-over. The induction process is thorough and give the new apprentices a chance to meet their line manager before their start date. The team understands my university arrangements and schedules meetings accordingly.

I receive a lot of support from Unilever. My line manager is always willing to help with any problems I have, work related or otherwise. My wider team are always very helpful and understand that I am still learning. The company has a vast collection of help if required, which people can access confidentially and at any time.

My university are very supportive. My lecturers are aware that I am completing the degree part-time and support me through it. They are always willing to answer any questions or comments I have and reply very quickly if it's via email. The feedback I receive is thorough and helps me improve my next assessment.

My degree is in chemistry and so it helped me in my previous roles a lot more than it is helping me at the moment. However, I am still gaining skills I can implement in my role, such as presenting, time management and communication. If I decide to work in a more R&D focussed role in the future I can definitely see it will help.

There are many extra-curricular activities. At Colworth, there are many clubs to join either during lunch or after work, such as choir, netball, photography and football. The apprentice community at my site is very strong, with events both inside and outside the work environment. We even have an am-dram panto! There's always something going on!

Yes

Unilever is an amazing place to work, especially as an apprentice. The rotations allow for you to see many different aspects of R&D and helps for you to find the role you are most suited for. The community is very welcoming and there's always lots to get involved in. The teams I have worked in have all been so supportive and have helped me to achieve my full potential. I have learnt so many new skills and have had so many amazing opportunities.

Show passion - a passion towards the company (do your research!), a passion towards the apprenticeship itself (know what it entails and why you want to be a part of it) and a passion towards R&D (why do you want to innovate). Be yourself and don't worry about not knowing everything - you're an apprentice for a reason!