Chartered Management Degree Apprentice Review
at Unilever
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Business Operations
Port Sunlight
Review Submitted: May 2022
Overall Rating
4.3 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
4/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
I am responsible for monitoring our cyber security related processes and procedures, as well as ensuring compliance across our various divisions and platforms. Reports are created and shared on a regular basis to review performance and adherence to the measures put in place to secure our systems and company processes.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I absolutely love my apprenticeship programme at Unilever. There is always a huge variety in both the work side and the study side. Every day presents new challenges, opportunities and things to get involved with. There are also always opportunities to meet new people and learn about new cultures and mindsets.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I have developed many skills that I already had since joining Unilever and working in my team, such as teamwork, leadership, communication, IT literacy and so on. I have also learned an abundance of new skills through opportunities provided by Unilever, such as cyber awareness, project management, financial planning and so on.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
My programme is extremely well organised by both the company and the training provider for my studies. I was provided with all information from the very beginning, and any questions that I have had since have been swiftly addressed. I always know what I'm doing, when and what for.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
Support from Unilever is readily available and very well thought out. Alongside the various resources and documents provided upon starting that help you figure out most things, there are also networks of previous apprentices and career specialists that can be reached out to if you need some more personal support.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
Training providers vary by course, but for my CMDA apprenticeship I receive excellent support from the Open University. Again, they have a wide range of resources available that have been refined over years of experience, as well as every student having a tutor that is always there to answer questions and give support.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
My qualification (Business Management degree) is very well linked to my role at Unilever. The modules and their content is at just the right level to provide detailed and wealthy knowledge, but also to be tied into real-world work that I am completing. Learning and doing simultaneously provides, in my opinion, the ultimate way of developing yourself.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
At Port Sunlight, there are many different events, clubs and activities to get involved with throughout your apprenticeship. There are sports clubs, networking events held across offices and development teams that allow you to travel across the company and even attend external events to socialise, meet new people and learn new things.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Unilever to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The company places a great focus on you as a person. You always feel important and well looked after regardless of your role, and you are always encouraged to better yourself. Mental health and quality of working life is paramount at Unilever and they really strive to provide measures that support these.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Unilever?
Unilever is all about purpose, and we believe that people with purpose thrive. The main piece of advice that I would provide is to refine your own purpose. Everyone has grades on paper and skills they can demonstrate, but people who truly own their purpose bring an amazing sense of passion and drive that Unilever love to see.
