R&D Apprentice Review

My role involves producing experimental samples in a lab for future innovations and running analyses on these samples to assess what the impact is of changing the formulation on different parameters such as rheology. It also involves stakeholder management, attending meetings to learn more about the industry and what else is going on within the wider team.

I've developed a good understanding of time management as often I am giving a large workload and it is up to me to decide how to distribute the work throughout the week whilst tending to other responsibilities with other projects and meetings. My presentation skills have improved as have my communication skills as well as my ability to understand the importance of the experiments and analyses we run.

I enjoy the programme very much as it allows me to experience many different parts of the business and gives me exposure to many teams and people helping to broaden my network. The support from my colleagues is great and the office environment is conducive to learning and development. The work can be monotonous but I understand its importance and feel involved in projects.

The structure is good with inductions occurring immediately and any necessary training to help upskill you for the work you will be doing. Support from my manager and teams is always there and I'm given one day a week to study. Tutor meetings happen quarterly which is good for checking in. Tasks are delegated within projects using the agile methodology which works well within my teams.

I receive plenty of support from my manager and teams, especially if university workload is high. It's easy for me to get in touch with the apprenticeship team too if I have any concerns. My mentor is always there to support me if required and checks in to make sure that my workload is fine and to see how my university work is going.

My training provider is supportive when working towards qualification and we are able to schedule in adhoc meetings if we need support or have any concerns by using teams. During check in meetings with my tutor, it provides a good opportunity for them to give their feedback on how I'm doing and adapt accordingly to improve my work ethic if required and attitude to learning.

The qualification given is certainly relevant to my role and sometimes there are parts I learn at university which I can call on at work. It's infrequent but useful when I can call on this knowledge. However, I do feel most of the beneficial knowledge relevant to my work is learned by doing the work itself.

There are plenty of extra-curricular activities to get involved with at work (onsite and offsite through self-organised groups) such as running, bouldering, paddleboarding, quiz nights, badminton and more. Some activities occur on a regular basis whilst others are more spontaneous but there is plenty for everyone to get involved with and it's nice because you get to know other apprentices and people at work through these activities.

Yes

My experience has been extremely positive with plenty of support from my managers, team and the wider Unilever community at the workplace. I've enjoyed the work I've done, but more so enjoyed learning the importance of the work and how it contributes to the wider business objectives which I think is very important. Additionally, the culture is great and very supportive. Whilst work can be hard, there are certainly days where it is fun too.

Skills related to maths, physics and chemistry are likely the most relevant with biology being a bonus so if you can upskill in those areas, that's great. Skills with python can also be quite useful. Be prepared to try out roles you may dislike and when applying focus on trying to be relevant to the food industry. Consider the broad range of roles in the food industry and show a hollistic understanding. Don't forget to do some background research on Unilever brands to begin with and a genuine interest in food also helps!