Productivity and TBS Technician Review

I have really enjoyed my placement year with PepsiCo International. I completed my Placement at the Beaumont Park Site in Leicester and worked within the Productivity and TBS Team. This team were very welcoming and gave me exposure to a wide range of product categories and projects to take ownership of. There is lots of responsibility in this placement as you are treated like a permanent employee so it was stressful at times, however the people at Beaumont Park were lovely and very helpful.

PepsiCo International has a student cohort which allows you to carry out projects with your peers and to have another students who are in the same boat positioned at the same site, this creates a peer friend group. Everyone at Beaumont Park was very friendly and welcoming and took the time to speak to you at work. My colleagues in the immediate and wider team were also very willing to help me learn and for me to get the best out of my placement year. We had team connects which helped to created personal relationships and to learn about those in your team.

The Productivity and TBS Team is a new and upcoming team which saw many changes in members and structure throughout my time with PepsiCo, this meant that at times it was hard to get support. My manager was very supportive however as her role was based in a different area to mine there was often things that she was unable to help with. PepsiCo also implements a buddy system and my buddy was excellent, he was very understanding and helpful and tried to give you the tools to be able to help yourself. There is also a mentor scheme provided by PepsiCo, my mentor was very friendly and knowledgeable however due to being unsure about my long term plans I found this scheme hard to use. PepsiCo has a student team which were also very supportive and helpful, they tailored sessions to help develop you and were very approachable.

Dependent on which projects you were working on and when trials were planned for, there were large fluctuations in how busy I was. At the start of my placement things were a little slow whilst I got up to speed with the software's and projects that I would be working with. Generally the amount of work was well balanced and varied and there were regular check ins to see how you were coping with the workload. However there were some very busy spells when trials fell together or working up to Christmas time for example when you would be out of the office 3/5 days as week.

During my placement I was the R&D lead on many different projects. I ran project trials at both PepsiCo Manufacturing and Co-Manufacturing Sites both in the UK and abroad. I was accountable for many key decisions as well as the creation of product specifications, trial plans and food safety documentation. I created a team for one project to ensure that there was the correct knowledge base and communicated with many suppliers on reformulations, new materials and to solve problems. I was a key influence is creating the next steps for many projects and communicating the progress and success of the projects periodically.

I have come away from my placement year at PepsiCo with a better understanding of how I am perceived in the workplace, which skills need to be developed and where my strengths are. I have a clear understanding of how my degree will be used in the food industry and how my knowledge can be applied to different tasks. I have improved my presentation, communication and networking skills and I am developing my ability to take feedback and improve. Through working with a variety of different teams I am also starting to be able to adapt my working style to fit the team and to improve my team work skills.

The office space was undergoing a refurbishment so was often noisy, but the atmosphere remained welcoming, productive and fun. Hot desking meant that you created a larger networking through sitting with different people each day and so you became aware of what others were working on. Stations such as innovation and intelligence displayed new products and encouraged conversations based on the appearance taste and texture. There was the opportunity to take part in lots of bench testing and to hear about the trials which had created the product you were testing. To conclude, the atmosphere was very welcoming, friendly and fun.

The placement was very well introduced with the first 2 weeks consisting of timetabled sessions both with your team and learning skills that you would need throughout the placement as well as helping you to understand all layers of the business. There were periodic check in with the student team and assessments against your objectives to see your progress. Your calendar was well organised and gave good visibility of what was coming in the pipeline. Before the end of your placement there was ample time to hand over to another student or team member and to ensure that all files were available to your team after you had left.

PepsiCo provided many opportunities to travel and experience a range of different sites to enrich your understanding and to help you be the best you could be on your projects. They funded a visit to the Green Park Head Office in order to complete insights profiles which helped you to understand your working style and how that fitted in with your team. There were opportunities to go relevant events, ample PPE and Equipment. In terms of development they provided information about future roles and progression paths as well as many career talks and regular personal feedback.

I am excited about the prospect of returning to work with PepsiCo in a full time position and will be tracking the vacancies at their local sites. I was hopeful that my contract may be extended from 12 months to 15 months during my placement however this wasn't feasible this time. However I have kept in touch with many colleagues and I am hopeful that if a suitable role should appear I would have exposure to it.

Many of the students ate together at lunch time and I made many friends from the student cohort. As I lived at home and commuted during my placement year I choose not to get involved with a lot of their social activities however there were many events that took place and were enjoyed. Other placement students also commuted so I didn't feel left out and was happy with the amount of social scene that was accessible to me.

Due to my family living within an hour of the Beaumont Park site I chose to live at home and drive in. This meant that I avoided living in a shared house so I didn't have to pay rent or bills during my placement year. The cost of socialising in the local area is very reasonable and there is a variety of things to do however it is more accessible if you have your own vehicle or are in walking distance of the town centre.

I have never really been interested in the nightlife and I have not taken part in any nights out related to my placement year. Due to being back home I socialised with my boyfriend and home friends. There are a selection of nightclubs and hotels in Leicester for those who like to go out at night however it is not my thing. There is also some good places to drink and good links to public transport.

During my placement year I was involved in a lunch time club at the gym that did a Pilates class twice a week this cost £5 per session and ran if 4 or more people were available in order to make it worthwhile for the instructor to come. Due to living at home during my placement year, I was able to take part in sports and activities which I had been a part of before going to university.