Commercial Apprentice Review

In my position, every 6 months I move to a new team/department and get the opportunity to work across the whole business. I have just moved on from my sales role, in which I oversaw the delivery of two new SKUs to the UK market, managed the delivery of a Veganuary plan and created a pricing strategy for the new year.

Working in the sales team, it was a great opportunity for me to build on my number crunching skills. Working with a vast array of databases and sales analytical sheets, I was able to build comprehensive reports which highlighted where we see opportunity in the market and also where I feel like we need to improve on the business model.

As mentioned before, the opportunity to rotate around varying departments and functions is a great chance to gain an insight in to the different parts of the business. It lets apprentices discover which division they may be best suited for and also provides great training along the way. The social aspect of Nestlé is fantastic, a great support network and plenty of industry professionals to help you through your learning journey.

With the program I am currently on having been ran for the past 7-8 years, it is clear that the structure has been streamlined and perfected over the years. The structure allows for block release study at SHU which really helps manage the workflow and gives learners the chance to easily set goals and targets for themselves.

The simple answer: As much as you need. The long answer: Even at an entry level job, you are treated as a professional so the support they provide is totally up to how much you need. If you are happy to get on with things, Nestlé are more than happy to support that. Alternatively, if you do require more support on the program, there is an abundance of people you can reach out to. From the Nestlé Academy to professionals in your team and even line managers, there is no shortage of people you can approach.

With block release sessions at SHU, it is great to have face to face learning over the course of a week every month or so as opposed to one day a week. It gives a much better understanding of the modules and really helps to plan out time dedicated to assignments. The teaching teams at SHU are always available and the support platforms such as SHU Blackboard are great for learners.

So far, each module or assignment completed at university has taught me something I can directly apply to me working environment. It is great to learn things at university and then see how that correlates in the real, working world. Also, vice-versa, plenty of things I learn on the job will support me with my qualifications.

Having just joined a new team, there seems to be a couple of social clubs to join. There is a selection of groups that are ran and managed internally at Nestlé (some of which include a small monthly membership fee to gain access to events) others are just social groups formed outside of work. This is something I am passionate about so will be making a push to increase the number of clubs/teams available.

Yes

The support, structure and working culture of Nestlé is fantastic. It feels like a great environment to work in and each day is different with the ever developing world of FMCG. It is a very interesting business to be a part of and gives a great sense of pride to know you're helping to turn cogs in a multi-national organisation.

Be yourself. Nestlé takes pride in supporting you as an individual and helps promote a natural working place. Any particular KSBs you are wanting to improve upon are easily supported by Nestlé and the company closely aligns with any personal goals or objectives you have set yourself. The FMCG industry is so vast so be prepared to get your learning head on and come in with an open mindset as every day is different.