Undergraduate Placements
Proud to offer you an insight to our industry
What better place for talented and motivated undergraduates to gain valuable experience of the food industry than the fast-paced and exciting world of Bakkavor? We recruit graduates and undergraduate placements as part of our talent pipeline to develop our future leaders and we’ll work with you to agree the career path that’s right for you. Because of the size and scope of our business we can offer an amazing range of career opportunities for candidates who want to kick start their career in the FMCG industry with us.
Join us on a 12-month paid, industry placement, starting in July, and discover where a career with us could lead.
We offer placements in the following functions:
ESG/SUSTAINABILITY PLACEMENT
This new placement programme will introduce you to ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) and Sustainability in the context of a busy food manufacturing organisation. You will learn the details of how we are addressing the big sustainability topics such as climate change, food waste, and environmentally sustainable sourcing of raw materials and how we help the business to meet its commitments in these areas. In practice, this will involve analysing data, benchmarking performance information, distilling complex information into easy-to-understand summaries, learning about, and contributing to corporate sustainability communications and internal engagement on these – and many other ESG-related topics.
TECHNICAL PLACEMENT
The Technical function supports all of our functions and works with suppliers to ensure that manufacturing is done correctly, safely and to our expected high standards. Your role could be within one of our factories or an office, and will centre around the principles of food safety, quality management and food engineering. You will have a direct input into helping deliver safe, high-quality products to millions of households across the nation, whilst gaining an insight into the fast-paced life of chilled food manufacturing. A placement with Bakkavor also sets you up with the opportunity to explore a proven pathway into a career with Bakkavor through direct entry or our other early careers programmes upon completion of your degree.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, LIEFECYCLE & CATEGORY MANAGEMENT PLACEMENT
A placement in development will give you the opportunity to be part of a team, bringing new products and new recipes to market. Expect to gain skills in a range of areas such as critical path management, ingredient sourcing, costings, couriers, product benchmarking, trends, and actual product development by working with a chef team (the role is office-based not kitchen-based). This entry-level placement will be perfect for someone who is in the process of studying a food-related degree with the aim of entering this field upon obtaining their qualification.
If you display a passion and an aptitude for Development, you may be given the option of returning for a graduate programme or a direct entry role after completion of your degree.
You will be based at one of our hubs in either London, Lincolnshire, Near Edinburgh or Newark and will be provided with a broad range of activities and projects.
FINANCE PLACEMENT
If you share our values and passion for great food, you can expect to receive opportunities, development, and support to enable you to learn and grow throughout your finance placement. You will gain key skills in basic accountancy and finance and from day one you will play a pivotal part in the decision-making processes that help our business to grow and thrive. This entry-level placement is perfect for undergraduates who are interested in gaining skills and experience in a Finance role within a fast moving consumer goods company. Those candidates who complete successful placements will also be given the opportunity to re-join Bakkavor on our Graduate Programme (CIMA accredited) post-qualification.
HR PLACEMENT (BO'NESS SCOTLAND)
A carefully planned 12-month placement at our Bo’ness site in Scotland will give you a great understanding of how HR works at Bakkavor, within a fast-paced factory setting. You will be exposed to all aspects of operational HR, including site priorities and challenges, people policies and how they are applied in practise, employment law, HR KPIs and people metrics. You will also learn how to build effective working relationships with customers including line managers and peers from centres of expertise, and operational colleagues. This entry-level placement is perfect for undergraduates who are interested in gaining skills and experience in an HR role, in a fast-moving consumer goods company. If you show a real enthusiasm and an aptitude for HR, you will be given the option of returning for a graduate programme or a direct entry role after completion of your degree.
COMMERCIAL PLACEMENT
If you share our passion for great food, you can expect to receive opportunities, development, and support to enable you to learn and grow throughout your placement. Expect to gain skills in a range of areas such as commercial systems and processes, performance measures, category management principles and expect to develop a greater understanding of the UK grocery retail market. You will work within a fast-paced environment where teamwork is essential - you will learn about the process of developing new food products, food manufacturing and the supply chain of getting food onto retailer’s shelves and finally into shopper’s baskets. This entry-level placement will be perfect for someone who is in the process of studying a Business or Food Science degree with the aim of entering this field upon obtaining their qualification, however, if you have a passion for food and are studying towards another degree then please do still apply.
MANUFACTURING PLACEMENT
Manufacturing operations is the core of the business and is responsible for delivering high quality, innovative products to our customers on a massive scale! A manufacturing placement is an ideal opportunity if you are interested in all the different stages involved in efficient food production and the distribution of quality products. It will give you a clear understanding of our key manufacturing processes including resource and people management, planning and production and safe machinery operation. You will develop the skills and knowledge to become a great Team Leader by the end of your placement, responsible for leading your team in maintaining high standards for health & safety, food safety and operational excellence.
UNDERGRADUATE PLACEMENT
You'll enjoy the following
- A salary of £21,000 per annum (additional allowance is provided for extra living costs in London placements).
- Relocation Financial Assistance.
- Access to Bakkavor benefits, such as a discount platform.
- A broad support network.
- Relevant training and development opportunities.
- Being part of a cohort of other undergraduate placement students.
- The support of a Line Manager who will complete regular performance reviews and help to develop your experience.
- The opportunity to re-join Bakkavor in a full-time role, or on a graduate programme, once you have successfully completed your degree.
To apply
- We look for people as driven and motivated as we are. Who are excited and energised by change and who connect with our values.
- You should be studying for an honour's degree or equivalent qualification.
- Possess a technical, food-related or science-based degree if applying for a Food Technology placement.
- Have a 'right to work' in the UK.
- Be able to articulate your motivation to progress your career and gain experience in the food industry for your chosen area.
- Be flexible in location and able to relocate for a placement, if necessary.
- Possess a level of business and commercial acumen.
- Ideally have a driving licence.
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