Testimonials
Manufacturing
"Over the last year and a half, I have performed a number of different roles which have given me a vast understanding of manufacturing and the food industry. Having had no previous experience in food, I was a fully-fledged Team Leader within a week. Being thrown in at the deep end is tough, but the rewards when you realise you've survived and become competent are very fulfilling. The skills I learned in my first 6 months will be carried with me wherever I go!
I've also performed project-based technical roles to ensure compliance with customer requirements, worked on a system with an Operations Manager and an external consultancy to maximise output and productivity, and spent 2 months setting up a stock system and warehouse for an engineering team.
The most important benefit of the scheme is being able to shape your own 2 years. I'm now starting a role in Planning, which I have asked to do because I knew I had a knowledge deficit in this area" (Duncan - Manufacturing Graduate Scheme 2006)
Finance
I joined in 2003 and began my first placement in Lincolnshire, this provided an excellent introduction to the business as it enabled me to observe operations from the ground floor upwards - giving me a real understanding of the entire business unit and the way it functioned.
My colleagues were hugely supportive and made it easy for me to adapt from my Sports Science background to working within a financial environment. I assumed greater levels of responsibility including being given the task of redesigning a management accounting system. The project took three months to complete successfully. It was a great learning curve, and positive proof that they give their graduates real responsibility. (Stephen - Finance Graduate Scheme 2003)
Christina Drake, AMS student from August 2003 - September 2005.
I studied at The University of Leeds, a four year degree in Food Science with Industrial Studies. The industrial studies was the opportunity to spend a 6 month placement within the food industry, this provided a great insight into industry and really helped me decide that I wanted to go into a career in New Product Development.
When I was in my final year at University, I began to get career advice on graduate roles and looked into some of the larger food businesses. I came across the Development Accelerated Management Scheme and it really took my eye. The course was aimed at graduates or non graduates and was a two year scheme in New Product Development allowing you the opportunity to move around within a number of different business units. It is a fast track scheme to becoming a manager within the company, providing you with all the necessary training. The AMS scheme looked perfect for me, a really large fresh food business that had involvement in all fresh food categories, including soups, sauces, pizzas, wraps, fruit, salads and desserts etc- there was a lot to go at and I knew that this would give me the grounding in the food industry that I was really after. The selection process was thorough including a first interview with Focus Management/Carrus Recruitment and then a second interview and presentation with the Group Head of Development.
I started in August 2003 at what was the Dip and Dressings business in a NPD technologist role and became familiar with NPD process and development procedures. I was in a supporting role and quickly started getting regular customer contact and exposure to a variety of big retailers. What I really liked about the AMS scheme was that I was able to get really stuck in and learn quickly. I spent a year in my first role and then transferred to another business unit who supplied soups, sauces and ready meals. Both businesses were very different and I learnt so much in each one. As well as the on the job training, the AMS scheme enabled me to go on specific training courses related to the job that expanded my knowledge. Over the two years I had a mentor who coached me throughout my time on the AMS, this was hugely supportive and good encouragement. You also have regular contact with the other AMS students, to share stories and experience.
I do have so many individual memories from the AMS scheme but some of my most memorable are in my first year getting involved in a dips and dressings tender and winning the business. This was real success and I felt that I really made a difference to the business I was in, and made me feel like an integral part of the team.
Looking back, I started as a graduate with relatively little experience in the food industry and I learnt so much along the way. The skills that I learnt have set me up for where I am today. It was a very demanding two year role in which people's expectations were high but the exposure was great, my confidence has grown and grown and I felt like I did so much in a short space of time. I finished the AMS scheme in September 2005 and then moved to a different business in a more permanent role as a senior technologist, by the end of the year I proved myself and was promoted to a Product Manager where I then started managing my own team.
The AMS scheme worked for me and has got me to where I am today. You need to be highly motivated, organised, and not to mention a real foodie! This was the really fun part - developing products and finally seeing them launch on shelf in a supermarket - this has got to be the real sense of achievement and success!
Mehdi - Food Technology Accelerated Management Scheme - Joined 2006
Quality assurance is a critical function for any business and it is particularly the case for the food industry. Here the challenge is to provide not only quality food but, even more important, safe food. Working in the Technical Department is a very challenging situation: you are expected to enforce quality standards in the factory but also come up with innovative ideas to drive improvement and support other departments.
You will interact with all departments, hence the incredible amount of experience you will gain within a very short period of time. Add to this unrivalled training, international and diverse opportunities and a guaranteed fast-track progression up the career ladder into a position of genuine responsibility and the decision is easy!
Real work from day one.
The Graduate Technical Scheme is carefully structured to provide valuable insight into all aspects of the company's technical standards and Quality Assurance policy. The scheme consists of two work placements in separate business units throughout the company. You are expected during these two years to acquire 34 specific skills that will constitute the core of what a future Quality Assurance Manager needs to know.
Once you have finished the scheme, you can expect to be offered an intermediate management position, the first step to accessing to a senior management position within five years of joining the company.
Real responsibility for graduates.
I joined in 2006 and began my first placement at in London. The placement provided an excellent introduction to the business as it enabled me to observe Quality Assurance from the ground floor upwards. I was able to take part in the day-to-day tasks but also was given projects that covered several months. My colleagues and managers were hugely supportive and made it easy for me to fit into my real first job.
I am now about to move to another site located in London. There, I am going to acquire an in-depth knowledge of dealing with suppliers. This will include a total revamping of the way we check our incoming raw materials and the way we deal with supplier-related issues.
Starting my career meant there were many things that were unknown to me as well as the need to earn trust: quality assurance is all about dealing with people. If they can't trust you, they will not follow you. I was responsible for ensuring good quality standards were maintained as well as making sure that good manufacturing practices were in place in the factory. In doing that, I dealt with a wide range of people, from the shop floor operative to departmental senior managers.
One of my main projects was to revamp the raw materials checking procedure. This role involved high levels of influence and motivational skills, as well as having to continually deliver to short timescales. I had to train significant changes and convince people to change their old habits.
By the end of my first placement, I was given the opportunity to temporarily become a Team Manager. I had my own team and was able to climb one step higher on the ladder. It allowed me to acquire invaluable experience: the only way to get better at managing is by... managing! Plus, I had a broader view of the way improvement was driven. I was able to get more distance from the daily routine to learn what a managers job really was.
A friendly employer.
This is a very friendly place to work - from the factory floor to the Site Manager's office, many of my colleagues are also friends now. Above all, it is a company that believes in giving its graduates two things - support and opportunity - and it delivers both in abundance. Equally the more you are prepared to put in, the more you will get out. So far, all my expectations have been met and I have gained a huge experience
Barbara - Produce Accelerated Management Scheme - Joined 1999
Barbara is a produce technologist based at Head office in the Central Produce Technical team. Her first role after the scheme was in procurement which led to a 3 year role as a product manager in fresh produce. She was placed in procurement and technical roles during her training and was based at various sites in the UK. Barbara chose to work for our client in the food industry because of its good reputation in fresh produce, the opportunity to work overseas and the scope for developing a career.
Fresh produce procurement is at the heart of what our client does best. The sourcing of raw materials is a complex process using skills of procurement managers and technologists.
Real work from day one.
The Graduate Produce Development Scheme is a flexible programme which provides a great opportunity to see different businesses within the company and experience a variety of roles that they have to offer. The scheme consists of 3 or 4 placements, 1 usually in France or Spain, at a site specialising either in fresh cut produce or wholehead procurement. The roles are inevitably quite varied as they respond to the current needs of the business. The advantage being that there is a proper job to carry out alongside the existing team. There is a mentoring system in addition to the supervision and coaching from a line manager.
Working for a new venture was a valuable experience. I had a new role in procurement managing the day to day requirements of the UK factories from the French supply base as well as carrying out duties for the site where I was based. Working outside of the U.K. is a more challenging placement as there are the obvious language skills and cultural differences to master, in addition to learning about the work. The AMS administrator ensures that the logistics of moving, linguistic support and mentoring are managed to make the experience less stressful.
I undertook my final placement in the technical department in Lincolnshire. The work was mainly project based for example; carrying out trials on new packaging, analysing microbiology results on certain products and developing objective methods to evaluate finished product quality.
On completing the series of placements I was offered a role in the procurement team at in Selby, at a wholehead produce site. The business is focused on supplying fresh produce to retail and processing customers. I spent 18 months in an assistant role learning about tomato procurement before becoming product manager for tomatoes, a sector of the business that at the time had a turnover of 40 million pounds.
The role offered high levels of organisation skills, management and required the ability to work to short timescales to meet weekly business targets. During that period I learnt a lot about managing a supply base and communicating within the business. I improved my language skills by learning Spanish to supplement my French and I also had the opportunity to travel.
I now work as a produce technologist for Central Produce. This new role has enabled me to build on the valuable experience I acquired at EVS and work on more long term and developmental ideas. I travel extensively with the procurement team, especially in the Francophone area of North Africa, and assess new suppliers. In addition, I am in involved in innovation focusing on produce where the client can lead the field and have a greater understanding of the raw material that we procure.
A friendly employer.
The environment is very positive and it is a friendly employer. The core values of the company make it a great place to work if you are a motivated and enthusiastic person. New ideas are always welcome and fresh challenges are always there for the taking.