Degree Apprentice Review

I currently work in the marketing foods team where I am involved in a variety of different projects. At the moment I am currently working on internal and external communications where I have the opportunity to work with external partners to raise awareness of the brands. I am also leading in the artwork renovation project of on of the Knorr Aromat Skus.

I have developed many skills including project management to ensure I keep on top of my priorities. Whilst working with internal and external partners I developed my communication skills, I now feel confident going into any room and speaking confidently. In my programme I also undertake a university degree where I am able to develop my knowledge in the business world and apply it to my day to day role.

I enjoy working in the foods team due to the upbeat and collaborative culture. Everyone is very friendly and always willing to offer a helping hand when I ask for help. As an apprentice it can be difficult to be the most junior in the room however they ensure I am always involved in all the discussions and value my thoughts and opinions.

The process of getting into Unilever was a pleasant experience including the induction and training material that was provided before I started my role. In addition, every week I have a study day to ensure I keep up with my university assignments and is supported with my line manager throughout the process.

I have great support from my manager, we have a weekly 121 to discuss any issues I may be having with any projects and we also use this time to run through some training on different platforms to help develop my confidence in areas I struggle with. I also know that if I need any help it is easy for me to reach out to other members of the team.

I enjoy study at open university as the support is accessible with my training provider. We also have a quarterly review to discuss my progress in university which is great to ensure I keep on top of my work but as well as I can flag any issues I am having. It is very easy to speak and reach out to my tutors through email or on teams.

I definitely believe doing a degree apprenticeship has benefitted me as it allows me to put what I learn at university into practice. For example, I recently learnt about concepts of marketing and have applied this to my role in marketing. It also helps to learn about different areas I may not be familiar with e.g. business ethics.

I am in the outreach development team where I have the opportunity to reach out to different schools and talk about the apprenticeship programme. Its a great opportunity to help young people understand what their next steps in the future may be and provide a great alternative than going to the traditional route.

Yes

I definitely would recommend Unilever to a friend as it have an amazing upbeat collaborative culture. Working at Unilever has enhanced my knowledge of how a large corporate business operates. Unilever has a great purpose which aligns with my own and ensures that everything I do is done with a sustainable purpose.

I would recommend researching about Unilever beforehand including learning about it's purpose and business values this helps ensure that you are working in a company that aligns with your values. I would also recommend practicing for the interview process with your friends/family as practice makes perfect. It would also be great to reach out to other Unilever apprentices on LinkedIn to have an understanding of their experiences.