Supply chain innovation analyst Review

I really enjoy the work in Unilever, you are started and given tasks at a pace and which you are free to control. The more you want from the placement the more you can get. If you sit idle you will not learn or experience the full range of the business.

From early on within the placement I was given the ability to share my opinion with my team and actively take part real tasks and jobs. My manager has been excellent she pushed me from day one and has been essential aspect to my fast development so far. Putting me forward for extra training courses.

Even though it is an extremely busy work place both my manager and other people within my team managed to spare time with me for various 1 to 1 meetings and share their experiences and skills with me. For me personally I was not taken by the hand which I loved, you feel a sense of responsibility to learn what you don't already know, and the opportunities to do so really do exist,

The first month or two were a little slow, which initially I thought was a massive oversight and that i thought were potentially wasted, I have soon learned that this time at the start i used for my own learning about the company and to really take in what is going around you. A corporate organisation can be difficult to get your head around.

I have been given pieces of work that I am the owner of people in the team come to me to ask for certain pieces of information, and ask me to complete solo tasks

Unilever has an extensive learning and development department, with many areas in the business providing extra training and help for all colleagues, even interns can apply to various further training from language lessons to process improvement methodologies.

The office is great, very modern, large open social spaces. You can have important meetings in rather informal places. Smart casual dress code so you feel comfortable in your own skin in work. Lots of events and activities made available from the start.

The scheme is well structured, you have your own role so it doesn't feel like your picking up others peoples work. Everyone has a personal development plan so you know what you have to achieve by the end of the year. Only slight disorganisation was in finding out where I was based, I didn't find this out until quite late.

They have put a lot of time, in terms of managers etc in ensuring that I progressed and improved on my skill set and my abilities. They also provided lots of opportunities and experiences outside of your immediate work, if you wanted to get involved in them.

You have to reapply to the graduate scheme, lots of emphasis put on the fact that if you dont put the effort in during your placement you may not be eligible, but the fact that you get direct entry to assessment center for grad application, gives you a higher chance.

Yeah, if you turned up in the canteen you were bound to find one of them and even if not there was always someone you could find to sit with. Outside of work there was always something going on too

Living in London, both the costs of living and socialising were very expensive, with rent alone making up at least 1/4 of your wages. However, the area was extremely nice, with lots to do both during the day and night, catering for every eventuality, such as nights out, going walking, visiting attractions.

The nightlife in the area I worked was very limited, but most placement students don't live in the direct vicinity of the workplace. In the area that I lived the nightlife was very active, being only a short tube journey away from central London and also having lots to do in the local area, such as bars and clubs.

I personally have got involved in lots of activities outside of work, joining a local football team, going to a local church and being involved in many of the events that they were running. However, I do think that this is more down to the individual than what is available, given that you only have a year with which to be a part of it. There were lots of opportunities available though.