It's Monday morning and now the start of my third week at Cadbury Schweppes. Within just two weeks I have moved from London to Birmingham, met hundreds of colleagues, started to learn my new role, and adjusted to being at my desk for 7am; a routine somewhat altered from my previous life as a Classics undergraduate.
I have started my graduate scheme in Bournville and my first placement is as the Production Scheduler for Unit Manufacturing. This factory-based role means that I'll be responsible for planning the production of the chocolates that go into Heroes, Roses and Milk Tray, as well as ordering the necessary materials and ingredients. Every day there is a list of tasks to perform, suppliers to call and schedules to check and, since the business relies on a productive plant, the plan has to be flexible enough to cope with stoppages and technical glitches. There is plenty to keep me busy all day, and, since my day begins at 7am, I am still able to leave the office well in advance of the rush hour and hit the supermarket before the rest of the city.
This role is a very big challenge and, especially for someone with no prior experience of manufacturing, there is a very steep learning curve. But since I never wanted a job that I could learn in a week and be bored thereafter, this placement will definitely provide me with the test that I wished for myself.
My training began in earnest last week and I am now able to take responsibility for much of the daily role. I'm three weeks in and I'm already receiving calls from suppliers and queries from colleagues and, occasionally, I can give them an answer.
My initial experience of life at Cadbury Schweppes has been very positive indeed and I'm relieved that it's an environment where questions are encouraged and people seem to enjoy helping each other. Now that I'm beginning to understand what will be expected of me in the coming months, I'm itching to acquire more knowledge and start to make my own mark on the role.
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