Manufacturing Planning Intern Review

My role involved working closely with stakeholders in all areas of operations both internally and externally, in particular with Packaging Material Suppliers, Purchasing, Schedulers, and Packing Operations. I managed a portfolio of suppliers (for me this was mainly Tassimo materials) which involved the provision of an accurate forecast of material requirements and working with suppliers and key stakeholders to ensure sufficient capacity and replenishment strategies to meet business demands. I also tracked and conducted loss analysis on two Key Performance Indicators, as well as running frequent reports to assist the team in their responsibilities.

Like previously mentioned, this role came with a significant level of responsibility. Being trusted with a portfolio of suppliers in the first few months of an internship with no prior experience was a challenging but fantastic opportunity. Dealing with Out Of Stock risks and navigating a broad range of issues, including the hectic Christmas period and Brexit, was at times testing. However, I was always provided with support and advice from across the team.

This placement had provided me with countless opportunities to develop my skills. The nature of the role and the subsequent responsibility has resulted in a significant improvement in my confidence and resilience skills. The material planning aspect of the role, especially manging Out Of Stock risks, has allowed me to develop a broad range of communication skills and become a strong problem solver. Finally, the project work I have completed, specifically on tracking and conducting loss analysis on Key Performance Indicators, has been a fantastic opportunity to progress my numerical and analytical skills, as well as my knowledge of programs such as Excel and Power BI.

I received a strong level of support and guidance throughout my placement from across the team. Whilst the expectations were to have a level of autonomy with suppliers, it is very difficult to navigate unique situations without years of experience. Whenever scenarios like that arose, I would always have the advice of both material planners and my manager to support in resolving the situation.

My role was in the Manufacturing business unit and was based in the Banbury factory. On the whole I found that associates were friendly, down-to-earth and supportive with your internship. Whilst my placement was over the global pandemic and during a challenging period of change for the UK business, I found the general atmosphere to be positive.

Despite the role differing to the job description advertised, I have enjoyed my placement. I found the wider company culture and specifically the Planning and Logistics team to be an good work environment to undertake a placement. The countless opportunities to develop key skills have set me in a strong position going forward in my career. However, the role was far more specific and significantly based around material planning which differs from the expectation that I'd have a broader experience of Planning, Logistics and Supply Chain as a whole. This has been disappointing, but I have raised it frequently throughout my placement and am hoping changes will occur for future interns. In addition, when I applied there were misleading statements made about opportunities for jobs in JDE after your placement- this is currently not the case in the vast majority of the intern roles (2021). I am hoping that significant changes are made to early careers recruitment in JDE as it currently not competitive in its opportunities for young professionals compared to other large FMCG companies.

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