R&D Spring Programme Review

The insight was very interesting and everyone at the company were very friendly. I got to learn a lot about the company and the different functions. All expenses were paid for and the hotel was very nice. I could really see how much research goes into the products the company makes and how they really care about what their consumers think.

I felt very valued and there was a lot of time to meet senior members of staff who were very open to answering questions. There were opportunities to talk to people at all different stages in the company (i.e graduates, directors and vice presidents etc...) where they offered advice and how/why the chose Unilever.

All members of staff were very friendly and easy to talk to. They were very passionate about their function as well as the company purpose which was very inspiring. There was always a member of staff around who would offer help and support when needed. There was also leaflets and handouts with information that we could refer back to.

There was a detailed plan on how the Spring Programme could lead to a potential future at Unilever. Having this experience at Unilever has showed me the different opportunities at the company and the different roles available after graduation. Meeting people from different functions allowed me to see different career paths and understand how all the different functions link together.

There was never a moment where there was nothing planned. Everything was well organised and planned carefully to ensure we had breaks and had opportunities to network/meet members of staff. There were opportunities for those on the Spring internship to learn about other functions e.g marketing which was very interesting and inspiring.

There was a very positive atmosphere were everyone is considered important and valuable. Everyone was very friendly and understanding. The environment was relatively relaxed and all members of staff showed they wanted those on the Spring Internship to enjoy their time there. There was a lot of help and support throughout the insight.

They company invited members of staff from all over the UK to talk about what they do and hence what I could potentially end up doing in the future. During the networking dinners, those who work in the function I am interested in were place on the same table as me so I could get the opportunity to talk to them and get to know the business through them and their experiences.

By talking to graduate students I could see the process of becoming a full time member of the company and I could also see the advantages/disadvantages. I also heard about the potential different locations a full time member of staff would be able to travel to and work at. It was very interesting and helpful to hear about the process someone went through to become a director or vice president.

There was a presentation given by a senior member of staff who spoke about his experience at the company and how he supports and understands the company's purpose. Since Unilever recently got a new CEO, it was interesting to see how the company has changed and what improvements were made. Unilever is very clear about their vision and it was very clear during my time there.

The content was very valuable, I learnt a lot and got a lot of my questions answered. It was very inspiring to see the career path different employees take and what locations around the world they have been. Unilever clearly spoke about the opportunities within the company and they gave advice on how to do well within the company.

All expenses such as travel, food and accommodation were paid for. All travel was reimbursed and everyone got their own hotel room with an en suite. Unilever has a bus/coach that takes members of staff to and from the station and Unilever office. There was free lunch at the office as well as free Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

There were many opportunities to network and meet other employees of the company. There were two different networking dinners where I met people on the graduate scheme as well as senior members of staff. There was also a quiz which was a good opportunity to engage with others of different interests and get to know people.

The networking and social events were all at the hotel and everyone was assigned a seat, therefore we had to meet new people and didn't sit with friends. The events were very well planned, the food was good and there were lots of opportunities to meet new people and get to know those at Unilever.

I found out that a lot of the employees play sports and they visit the gym at the Unilever office. A lot of employees travel to experience new cultures and to take time off work. Quiet a few enjoy cooking and definitely showed an equal balance between work and leisure time - good work life balance.

I would defiantly recommend anyone to try this insight because it's a good opportunity to meet those with different interests. It is also a good chance to get experience in the real world of work and see how different functions deal with different aspects of the business. By doing this insight it has given me a clearer view of what opportunities are available to me.