Engineering Associate Review

Working on reactive and improvement projects to make sure production was not impeded by engineering issues. This involved contractor management, permit writing, planning (using communication and organisational skills), communicating out to the wider factory community and raising work orders and purchase orders. This role involves talking to many different functions to get the best results. A basic understanding of manufacturing processes is required but most skills will be developed/learnt in the role. Through this role I have a greater understanding of the mechanics behind pieces of equipment which as a Chemical Engineer I had had no previous education on.

My communication skills have definitely developed in this role. Due to COVID PepsiCo has adopted hybrid working which has expanded the reach of my networking circle. I have been able to put in zoom calls with colleagues all over the country and even had the opportunity to go on a virtual Advanced Food Engineering course which was presented by colleagues in America. Through project management I have been able to think on my feet and come up with solutions to problems then and there. A big tip would be: Ask if you don't know the answer! (You're here to learn at the end of the day)

In the second half of my placement I saw a gap in my learning and so requested to go on a permit writing course. Once completed, I had a lot more responsibility in terms of contractor management. I had to now make sure that contractors knew the scope of their works as well as the health and safety and food quality issues associated with not working to PepsiCo standard. I have also contributed in daily and weekly meetings with project updates.

In my first few weeks my line manager set time aside to teach me the skills I would need for my role and what my role was. I also had a two week handover period with the previous placement student in role. They showed me the site, talked me through specific processes such as raising work orders and purchase orders. The other departments within the factory were happy to answer any questions I had regarding their area of expertise.

At the start of my placement it was hard to gage the company culture due to social distancing. However, since the COVID rules have been removed activities have started popping up. For example, I've signed up to a ping pong tournament being held within the site. They also had a mental health box, for Mental Health Week, with small gifts inside. We also bring in baked goods on our birthday which is always a nice treat for everyone in the office.

The work was not what I expected as a Chemical Engineer with it being more Mechanical. However, it has been a great learning experience. The Engineering Team has been lovely and a great team to work with. They were always there to answer questions I might have. For an Engineering Placement, it didn't reach my expectations. I think I had skills that could've been utilised in other ways but due to a necessity for the projects I was doing this was not utilised.

Yes

If you don't know, ask. It's better to learn first time than from learning from a mistake. With the assessment centre don't be afraid to speak up but remember to involve the whole group during the group interview. If you work at one of the munufacturing sites in the UK you can't bring glass, ceramics, nuts or chewing gum onto site. I was inspired to apply to PepsiCo because it is a Top Employer and a great name to have on your CV. At the time I thought I was interested in going into the food industry, however; this is not the industry for me.