Intern Review

It was very enjoyable because I was able to work on such a variety of different projects with lots of different colleagues. This allowed me to gain a wide range of skills and knowledge, as well as getting to know almost everyone in the department. Working with chocolate also means the job is fun!

I completely felt like I was a valued member of my team. I was always encouraged to get fully involved in any personal development and training courses even though I'm only here for a year. We had team lunches to welcome new colleagues or for special occasions which helped me to get to know the team in a more social setting.

I had a meeting scheduled with my manager each week to discuss how I was getting on with my projects and to check whether I needed any support with anything. I was sat with my team every day so there is always someone around to help if needed. Everyone is happy to have meetings with you if you want to understand something better or ask for help. I also had meetings with my manager's manager occasionally too.

I always had plenty to be getting on with but was never completely rushed of my feet to the extent where I had to work excessive extra hours. Sometimes you need to work longer hours during a busy time but you are able to then leave earlier on a Friday afternoon, for example, to make up for it. You also largely plan your work yourself so can allow plenty of time to get things done.

Initially I was given responsibility of some aspects of a project (e.g. ordering ingredients for a trial to writing the report), but after a few months I was given my own projects to manage. My manager was always there to help if needed, but allowed me to take control of the project. It was then up to me to make sure everything was completed on time, by following the correct procedures. If I struggled with anything and couldn't solve it myself, my manager would advise me of what to do.

Although I learnt a lot about chocolate in a technical sense, as well as food safety and GMP regulations, the most valuable skills I developed were the "soft skills". We're always encouraged to work on these skills, and show progress throughout the year. For example, I had the opportunity to present my project to the team and to other teams. I also now have much more confidence in speaking to colleagues from across various disciplines, regions and seniority levels.

The office had a great atmosphere; it allowed everyone to communicate effectively throughout the day and because it was so open, everyone was very approachable. We have many meeting rooms, as well as more informal seating areas incase you wanted to sit somewhere away from your desk for a while. We were encouraged to sit with colleagues we do not normally speak to once a week at least, to help share ideas.

The whole application process was very efficient and the assessment day was actually quite enjoyable. Mondelez were very accommodating to the requirements of the University for the placements and made an effort to place you on projects that would be beneficial to your development. There was always work for me to do; my schedule was very well balanced.

The company is very keen on everyone taking the time to work on their personal development, even if we may only be here for a year. We are encouraged to sign up to online courses throughout the year, and are also invited to on-site training sessions on topics such as "Giving and Receiving Feedback". All of my team members were happy to spend time with me to further develop my knowledge in their areas of expertise. We are also able to visit other sites to improve our understanding of the wider business operations.

It's a really nice environment to work in, so working here in the future seems appealing. There are such a variety of people here that you can see so many different career paths that could be followed. There's opportunity to get some experience in other teams too, so you can get a feel of what it would be like to work in difference places.

The group of interns are all put in contact with eachother in advance so we can find houses together. We have been out for drinks, food, comedy nights, etc. so there's always something to get involved in. We also plan charity events throughout the year at work, so it's nice to work with fellow interns on this too.

Compared to my uni town of Nottingham, Birmingham was a more expensive place to live. My rent was much higher and it was an expensive place to insure a car. You definitely have plenty of money to live off of though so you can still socialise too! It's a city so isn't cheap, but isn't ridiculously expensive either.

It was a very short train journey to the city centre so nightlife was great, lots of interesting places to visit, from bars to clubs to comedy and gigs. It's also not far at all to Selly Oak (where many of us lived) which has many pubs etc. In term time, there were always students out in Selly Oak so you can still enjoy going out while working.

There are lots of activities going on around Birmingham, including sports clubs, music groups, bowling, climbing, comedy etc. These are not connected to work, however many people from work go to the on-site gyms, and are very welcoming to people joining in with classes. Birmingham is very diverse, so there will be something for everyone!