After graduating, I still didn't know what I wanted to do career wise. All I knew was that I wanted to work for a successful global company that could offer me a breadth of experience and international opportunities.
The cross functional THRIVE programme at Beiersdorf delivers this and more. Right from the off you are given real responsibility and challenges, but you also receive all the support you need to develop and succeed. It's a great environment to work in and that's true beyond the UK.
I am currently working in the Dublin office and, although the culture and business environment may be different, the supportive Beiersdorf spirit is still the same.
As a graduate from a leading university with a great degree I wanted to embark on my next challenge with a world leading organization on a rewarding graduate development scheme. Beiesdorf and the THRIVE programme has given me the privilege to work with global brands and great people.
On the scheme I have been placed in dynamic, fast paced and intellectually stimulating roles with real responsibility both in the UK and on a six month placement in Sweden. Furthermore, my professional development has been catalysed by the world class support from the company’s development programme as well as external training schemes.
In the future I hope to continue my development with Beiersdorf and hope to one day be a manager within this great company.
To me the THRIVE graduate scheme is best-in-class within the FMCG industry. No other company gives you a 360 degree view of their organisation; often graduate schemes are confined to one area such as ‘marketing’ or ‘supply chain’. With four placements around the business, namely Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing and Sales, I feel that I am preparing for longer-term Leadership goals.
In addition, the work culture is reflective of NIVEA brand values, offering a remarkable work-life balance. In my current role in Finance, part of my responsibility is overseeing profit margins for different retailers, and suggesting pricing strategies for new product launches. With this kind of responsibility I am at the heart of influencing profitability and can see how my work influences the overall business success.
Lastly, the international rotation was one of the strongest reasons to join the scheme. Gaining international business experience is essential when working for a global business such as Beiersdorf and I feel fortunate that I will have the opportunity to experience this so early on in my career.
I’ve been on the THRIVE graduate scheme for over a year and I’m still learning something new every day. Just being able to move through the different departments has really opened my eyes to how many different roles and responsibilities there are.
I’ve been able to build networks across the business with people that I wouldn’t necessarily come into contact with on a day-to-day basis and I’ve made lots of new friends along the way.
The best thing about THRIVE is that it’s not a regular training scheme – right from day one we’ve been doing real jobs with real responsibilities and it’s so rewarding to see that projects we have been working on are already making a positive difference.
