Science and Technology Blogs
Welcome to our Science and Technology graduate blog page!
Feel free to post comments and come back to share more experiences with our science & technology graduates.
An industrial placement and a half
Posted by Lisa on 23 Sep 07
I have been working for the Chocolate Innovation Team at Reading for almost 3 months and I can certainly say that it has exceeded all expectations. I have joined a hard working and well-motivated team who made me feel welcome straight away and offer me support and advice whenever I need it. Each day I am being given more responsibility and independence which will help me to develop my individual knowledge further.
So far I have had the opportunity to work individually as well as part of a team in laboratory and small scale manufacturing situations both in the UK and abroad. I have gained knowledge and experience in the chocolate process from ingredients and machinery used through to tempering and moulding my first bar of chocolate! I have also had the opportunity to see large scale production sites first hand.
My role changes on a day-to-day basis, working in both an office environment and practical work in the development kitchen. I started this week with a factory tour in Bournville focusing on the chocolate process from raw materials to the packaging stage. Then back in Reading I have been tempering and moulding chocolate, attending team meetings and taking part in tasting sessions.
Overall, I have had an amazing first few months, learning more about chocolate production and the way the company operates everyday. I am looking forward to further challenges and am really excited about the year ahead.
Working IT out
Posted by Bhavik on 19 Sep 07
So far my Inductrial Placement has been a fantastic experience for me. In a short space of time I have learnt a lot more then I had expected. In general my university provided me with all the theory and knowledge I would need in the real world, however working on a placement in Cadbury has so far been a fantastic opportunity to implement my knowledge in the working world and pick up priceless practical skills which will be needed in the future. Working for the IT department in Cadbury had been excellent. The department have given me a variety of different tasks to carry out and have placed a great deal of responsibility on my shoulders, which really makes me feel part of the team.
An industrial placement where the flavour goes on and on...
Posted by Lisa on 17 Sep 07
At the moment I am working on developing new chewing gum. If I'm not preparing gum, I am testing samples or analyzing current tests, that is, when I am not in meetings, conference calls or on courses. Even though I am only here for a year I am treated as a valued member of the team and given opportunities to express my ideas and work on my own initiative. Also, working along side other placement students you get a good insight into other projects. I can't wait to see what the next eleven months brings!
One year in
Posted by Andy on 31 Aug 07
I am just about to complete my first year on the Cadbury S&T graduate scheme and am entering the final weeks of my first placement at the Global Science Centre (GSC) in Reading. Looking back at my time in the GSC I have experienced such a range activities and responsibilities. Prior to joining the Cadbury graduate scheme I completed a BSc in Chemistry at Warwick University, worked in finance where I qualified as a chartered accountant, and returned to Nottingham University to study a Masters in Chemistry and Entrepreneurship.
From my first day at the GSC I was given responsibility for elements of key projects my team was working on. This gave me great motivation to deliver to the best of my ability as I knew my team was relying on my input to move the projects forward. During my first few months I also learnt very quickly about the science of chocolate and its production through a combination of formal training courses, visits to factories and suppliers, on-the-job training and the expertise of our team at the GSC.
Subsequently my career has progressed further and I have been given the opportunity to develop my project management skills. Firstly through managing the annual graduate project - a trip to Poland for the new graduates from all functions to work with a local orphanage and school in the town Cadbury are opening a new factory. Secondly through being given my first GSC project to manage which has allowed me to work with a range of colleagues across our Asia Pacific region from both S&T and Commercial. This has helped to raise my profile within the business, learn about chocolate making and products for an entirely different market to the UK and understand the challenges associated with managing a complex, multi-region project.
Throughout this time my experiences have been wide ranging and I have worked with a large selection of suppliers covering ingredients, flavours, laboratory equipment and factory equipment. I have had the opportunity to travel to Belgium, Switzerland, France, India and Herefordshire!
The thing I believe sets the Cadbury graduate scheme apart is the support I have received from my line manager, with whom I have regular 1-2-1 meetings to review my performance and set objectives to develop my skills, the chocolate innovation team with whom I work and who have made me very welcome, my mentor and my buddy. I think this support coupled with the opportunities to really push yourself make this scheme a great place to develop your career.
Next steps
Posted by Tom on 15 Aug 07
I'm now almost into my third placement at Cadbury.
In my first role I got to work with some classic brands such as Allsorts and Jelly Babies whilst I also got to take ownership of an entire jelly sweets range. The ability to work on formulas and then see them through preliminary trials, factory trials and then full scale production makes seeing them in the shops even more rewarding! As well as the full product development projects I've been involved in regulatory compliance and supply chain led projects, allowing me to work with many people right across the business. The ability to continue with a couple of these projects whilst in my new role is great as I can see things through that I have started, without missing out on new experiences.
I've since been working in S&T packaging design, which is obviously a bit of a step away from recipe engineering! It's been great though and I've had the opportunity to work with some of the top advertising agencies and designers in Europe as well as learning about an entirely new set of technologies and processes. I personally find it brilliant to be able to challenge myself with all these new things so regularly. I'm already looking forward to the chocolate science coming my way in a few weeks, in my next role!
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