Business Associate Review

I work in the shopper marketing team, which involves managing point of sale production in a key retailer. In this role, I collaborate with the shopper marketing team at the retailer, as well as brand teams internally, shopper creative team internally, and external print agencies. I have supported my team with a variety of projects and even taken the lead on some myself.

I have developed my communication skills through this role with the support and guidance of my line manager and my apprenticeship coach. I have also learnt budgeting and forecasting skills in this role, enabling me to make informed decisions and to support my team. Something else I have learnt in this role is Microsoft Office skills, especially Excel, which I feel will be very useful in my career.

I really enjoy my programme, I have already had some fantastic experiences, such as events at retailer head offices, and visiting a local school. I have also developed a variety of skills, and the apprenticeship programme has given me the opportunity to start building what will hopefully be a long and successful career in the industry.

My programme is very well structured, we found out at the start of the year when all of our Multiverse workshops would be, and I have had frequent check-ins with my apprenticeship coach and line manager. There is a certain degree of expectation on us as apprentices to manage our workload accordingly but I think this is reasonable and I get a lot of support with this.

My line manager has been incredibly helpful and supportive, and always makes sure that I get enough opportunity to complete my apprenticeship, and she also supports me to make sure that my work is visible within the team. Unilever as a whole also provide a lot of learning and training opportunities which help me to build my off the job time.

My apprenticeship coach has been very supportive, especially when I have faced challenges both in my role and in my personal life. I have also been able to attend many Multiverse community events which have been really helpful for my personal development and allowed me to grow a variety of skills.

My qualification has helped me to develop a variety of skills, particularly around communication and data handling, which has enabled me to really throw myself into every aspect of the role and perform to the best of my ability.

There is a wide variety of extra-curricular activities at Unilever, such as team away days, company social or sporting events, and many more, including networking events both internally and externally. There is never any pressure for people to attend who don't want to, but there are many opportunities for socialising outside of work.

Yes

I would recommend Unilever to a friend because the work culture is fantastic and very supportive, especially to newcomers. Also, the opportunities and experiences available to you when working at Unilever are fantastic, and I genuinely feel that there is something for everyone. There is a real emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusion, which helps to bring a really positive atmosphere to the workplace.

Be yourself! Individuality is very much appreciated at Unilever, everyone has their own personal strengths that they could bring to a team and to the organisation as a whole, and Unilever is very good at recognising that. The application process can seem very daunting, but the real purpose is to get to know you as a person, so try not to panic!