Chemical Engineering Apprentice Review

I am a Chemical Engineering apprentice working in Unilever R&D, my day to day activities vary. Typically I spend two days a week at University going to lectures and attending practicals. Whilst in work I work on implementation of innovation projects into factories, working in the pilot plant to research new innovations. I also have spent time within factories, helping with process improvement and ensuring our factories run as safely and efficiently as possible.

I have learnt many new skills and developed my exisiting skills. From gaining understanding in core chemical engineering principles and applying these in new innovations and instrumentation, I also have gained massive amounts of skills in the digital space, learning python and VBA. Furthermore, I have refined my interpersonal skills massively, becoming more confident in my interactions with others and my presenting skills.

I enjoy my programme massively, I am able to find things that interest me and work on them, I feel my opinion on where I want to go next is valued and I am allowed to work on truly innovative projects and see all sides of the business giving me a well rounded experience.

My programme is relatively well structured, though there are some kinks with the University and how I can attend all of my lectures, leading to me missing lectures and having to catch up on these without the benefit of any distance learning resources. Furthermore, in terms of my internal placements there doesn't seem to be much structure at all and is mainly centred around where I want to go and where the business need and interesting projects are, though I enjoy the chance to have a choice in the structure of my programme.

I receive plenty of support from my employer, with bi-weekly catch-ups with my line manager and programme manager as well as a assortment of different mentors from various parts of the business who all provide their insight and experience. We also have monthly apprenticeship catch-ups and have access to a variety of different health and wellbeing apps and events.

I receive reasonable support from the training provider, we have quarterly meetings with the head of Chemical Engineering, my university mentor and the employer as well as one on one meetings with my university mentor to see how I am getting a long in work. I also have support from the IChemE who ensure I will be receiving the experience and the learnings that normal students would also receive.

I feel the qualification is essential in me being able to perform my role, it gives me the underlying theoretical understanding which I can apply in my work as well as the confidence to approach the problems I face in work. However I feel I have learnt significantly more in my time in work than time spent in University.

There are few social events organised through the apprenticeship, I believe this could be improved with more emphasis from the management to push this forward. In our working teams, there are plenty of sports teams to join and social events around Christmas. There are no professional network events though this year there was the first apprentice connect at Leatherhead allowing some apprentices to meet senior leaders.

Yes

Good place to work, lots to learn & lots to get involved with. The company also provides good support as a employer in mental health and general well-being. There are also plenty of opportunities to gain great mentors and move around the world working on interesting and truly innovative projects. Apprentices are also valued.

Be yourself, think about what you want to be involved with, research the company it's history and it's values and how moving forward Unilever and yourself will be able to impact the world. Ask lots of questions, always ask why and challenge what we believe is the case.