Packaging Apprenticeship (Level 6)

Apprenticeship - UK & Ireland 

FUNCTION: Level 6 Packaging

To apply for this role, click this link to complete the application form.

Your Future Employer - Unilever

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 3.4 billion consumers a day.

Unilever has more than 400 brands found in homes around the world, including Dove, TRESemmé, Lynx, Lifebuoy, Shea Moisture, Persil, Domestos, Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Marmite, The Vegetarian Butcher, Graze, Vaseline, Sure, Wall’s, Colman’s and Pot Noodle.    

Faced with the challenge of climate change and the desire for human development, we want to move towards a world where everyone can live well and within the planet's natural limits. That’s why our purpose is ‘to make sustainable living commonplace’.   

What is the job? - Packaging Apprenticeship (Level 6)

Our purpose is to create a brighter future with you and for you. That future begins in Research and Development (R&D). If you want to develop into your best self while being part of a global organisation that can take you in any direction you choose, this is for you. 

There are always new ways for our products to improve the lives of our consumers and have a positive impact on the planet. In R&D you'll find out what consumers want and develop the technology to make our innovations come to life. Unilever R&D apprentices follow a structured programme that allows you to put your science education and passion into practice while getting a degree. 

As a Packaging Research and Development Apprentice, you will be part of a team leading the way in developing new sustainable packaging and products. You will have the opportunity to work in different packaging functions to develop your skills in Packaging Excellence, Design, Sustainability and Innovation project delivery while getting a packaging BSc from Sheffield Hallam University. 

What do we look for? - Packaging Apprenticeship (Level 6)

We are looking for enthusiastic, creative & curious individuals who want to be part of changing the future of packaging.

Successful candidates will need to work both independently and as part of a team and feel comfortable with embracing new technology to continuously improve how we work. You will need to be adaptable to take on diverse aspects of the packaging role and participate constructively to solving problems.

Day-to-day responsibilities - Packaging Apprenticeship (Level 6)

As a packaging apprentice, you will have the opportunity to work in different stages of the packaging development process. You could be part of a creative session to explore new packaging concepts or work to bring new ideas to life through prototyping and obtaining physical samples. You could be working to help ensure that new packaging solutions are fit for purpose by validating them in our testing laboratory or running trials through our simulated manufacturing facility.

Once you have the final packaging agreed you will be working with the innovation teams to bring them to market, collaborating with packaging suppliers and our manufacturing sites to ensure that we can produce millions of them to the desired quality, sustainability profile and cost that our consumers desire.

What support will you receive? - Packaging Apprenticeship (Level 6)

Throughout your apprenticeship, you will work closely with a work-based mentor who will support you through your apprenticeship journey. As well as helping to organise your work-based activities, they will take an active part in supporting your university programme, holding regular review sessions with the university learning mentor to ensure that your work-based programme complements the University objectives.

What can Unilever offer YOU? - Packaging Apprenticeship (Level 6)

• A competitive salary of £22,716.
• A pension scheme.
• A discounted staff shop.
• Subsidised gym memberships.
• Shares.
• 25 days of holiday allowance.
• Bonus opportunities.

Diversity at Unilever is about championing inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities, and growing together for better business performance. To celebrate this, we have internal networks and communities created to raise awareness for a cause, which works to create change within the business. These networks include Proud, Empower, Enable and Unity and our communities include Thriving Parents, Carers and All Inclusion Club.  

We give full and fair consideration to all applicants, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.    

We are a key advocate of wellbeing and offer a variety of support for our people including hubs, programmes, and development opportunities. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all.    

Duration  

5 years.

Requirements 

Have GCSEs including English Language and Maths at grade 5 or above. Have or are predicted a minimum of 3 A-levels or equivalent with grades of BBC or above including 2 STEM subjects. 

Locations

Hybrid working with a minimum of 2 days required weekly at either our Port Sunlight (Wirral) or Colworth office.

Application Process - Packaging Apprenticeship (Level 6)

Stage 1:

To apply for this role, click this link to complete the application form.

Complete the online application form and tell us about your motivation for choosing Unilever and your selected apprenticeship programme.

Stage 2:

Situational Judgment Test, which gives you realistic, hypothetical scenarios where you will be asked to identify the most appropriate response. You will also have a numerical and verbal reasoning test at this point

Stage 3:

In-Person Discovery Centre, immersing yourself in business challenges and an interview.

Discovery Centre

Our discovery centres will be running from the week commencing the 24^th of February and 2^nd of March 2025 at our Port Sunlight and Colworth factories.

Closing date

We will be closing our applications on the 29^th of January 2025, however, if we receive enough applications for the business area before this, applications will close accordingly. We, therefore, advise you to apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment.  

If you have any questions about your application or if you require any reasonable adjustments to be made to complete any part of the application process, please contact the Future Careers Team. If you would like to discuss any mitigating circumstances before making an application, please also contact the team using the following contact details: 

Phone: 020 3650 2304 or e-mail: [email protected].   

Recruitment Fraud    

Cybercriminals advertise fake job adverts with prestigious employers as a way of stealing information or even defrauding individuals out of money. In the most sophisticated cases, they will set up fake websites, which have a similar address to companies like Unilever. They even conduct fake telephone interviews and then offer candidates a role with the proviso they pay a fee for background checks or to cover work visa costs.  These types of attacks are becoming more common as more people are looking for employment in the economic climate.   

 How is Unilever tackling this?    

Many of Unilever’s recruitment sites publish a warning to candidates about recruitment fraud. The Cyber Security team also proactively scan for signs of people setting up fake Unilever sites and act to close them down.    

What can I do?    

If you become aware of potential recruitment fraud, spot fake Unilever recruitment adverts or fake LinkedIn profiles, report them via Una Live Chat.    

Unilever does not accept responsibility or liability for any candidates who are financially impacted by recruitment fraud. Your vigilance is key!