Packaging Technologist Review

I am a packaging technologist for a high street convenience retailer. I specify materials and work with suppliers to incorporate circular economy principles into our own label packaging materials, making packaging easy to recycle, including recycled content in it and reducing plastic usage and minimising carbon emissions. I also represent the company externally on industry forums.

I am only a few months into my apprenticeship, but I have learnt how to be a reflexive practitioner, considering how I behave, why I do certain things and how to consider my audience before speaking to the, I am learning to be a better politician and use the learnings from the course to influence stakeholders more effectively.

Very mush so. A lot of it is not directly relatable to my role, but it is stimulating to think about other issues outside of my day to day job. A challenge I have had is managing to complete all the readings on top of my workload. It is difficult to do this in works time.

Very structured. Each module is clearly organised into 8 topics with one topic of readings per week and a tutorial every fortnight. At the end of the readings there is a workshop and then a couple of weeks to write up the group work and reflective practice assignment for each topic.

My employer has supported me to enter onto the programme and are covering the costs through the apprenticeship levy, so I am happy with that. It is difficult to fit some of the work in because I am expected to do my day job on to of the apprenticeship requirements, I have not been relieved of any duties to take account of my 20% off the job learning time.

The tutors are on hand to answer emails and answer questions at the fortnightly tutorials. We also have an online discussion forum where we can discuss issues related to the topics. So I feel that I am well supported on the topics. I also have a practice based tutor that supports me with quarterly review meetings.

The first module has taught me a lot about the organisation as a political arena, and how I can be more effective in managing stakeholders within that environment. The personal development plan exercise has also made me think about how I interact with stakeholders and to understand when aspects of my personality are appropriate to share or hide.

During lockdown we have been doing online payday drinks and we have a team meeting every week which includes a wellbeing exercise. We have started doing walking meetings recently. There are lots of opportunities for professional networking through the IGD, BRC and my professional body the IOM3, which is supported by the Co-op.

Yes

I feel closely aligned to co-operative values and principles to co-operate for a fairer world. The co-op has supported me financially, emotionally and professionally to develop my career opportunities and my personal leadership style. I feel I belong at the Co-op and I can't imagine leaving. It's what we do.

Make sure you read the job description carefully and when you go to interview focus on examples that demonstrate how you did what you did as well as what you did and the business results. You will need to demonstrate that you can do what matters most, be yourself always, and champion our ways of being Co-op.