James Cheema

Process engineer, Nestlé UK

Age – 24

When you joined – September 2012

Why you joined Nestlé and the food manufacturing industry?
'The idea of working for Nestlé who produce some of my favourite brands and products was an exciting prospect. When a friend who had recently embarked on the Nestlé graduate scheme told me about the opportunities there were for engineering graduates I was sure that Nestlé was right for me.

As a chemical engineer the food manufacturing industry offers up a number of unique challenges. The first is that the environment you are working in is constantly evolving. Driven by innovation and focused improvement there is new product technology around every corner. I see engineers as being crucial in ensuring these technologies are delivered into food manufacturing environments effectively. Engineers are critical to ensure the working environment is designed to hygienic standards, is safe, and productive. Their influence and responsibilities in food manufacturing are significant and it was these elements of the role as an engineer that led me to choose a career in the industry.

How did you find the role/scheme?
'A fellow student I met on an industrial placement year went on to join the engineering graduate scheme at Nestlé . For me this was a great chance to gain a firsthand insight into what I could expect from working for the company. Having spoken to them I was impressed with the level of responsibility they had been given and also the breadth and depth of work they were undertaking at the time.

Following this I did more research into Nestlé. This included learning more about the company’s brands and the culture of creating shared value. What I found I was extremely impressed by and found it fitted some of my own personal values. I also visited the careers web site and found out more about what the prospects were for graduates within the company.

What area do you work in?
'I am currently on the first year long placement of the two year training scheme. I am working in the beverage division at a coffee
manufacturing plant in Tutbury, Staffordshire. I report to the factory engineering manager and work across a wide range of areas. I am involved in engineering projects and at the moment my role is focused on a project managing process safety. This includes working as part of the project team for a new £200 million freeze dried coffee factory.

Your role and what you like about it?
'I graduated in chemical engineering and Nestlé have placed me into the role of process engineer. Production of instant coffee (whether it be spray dried or freeze dried) involves many different processes, several of which operate under high pressure and high temperature conditions. The safe management of these operations and the associated systems is a legal requirement. My role is tailored around two main areas at the moment. The first is developing and optimising the process safety management systems that are already in place.

This includes hazard analysis and work with external consultancies to develop a system which is robust and easy to maintain. I am also investigating options to reduce energy and water consumption on site. The business has set ambitious targets to reduce the environmental footprint of the factory and as a result there is a lot of emphasis (from CEO level!) on meeting and where possible exceeding them. The support I have received since starting at the factory has been fantastic. This is right through from operators on the shop floor to the factory senior management team. There have been opportunities for training and development from day one which are provided both internally and externally. These factors combined with the friendly attitudes of the people who work here make it a great place for me as a graduate to start my career.

What inspires you?
'A number of things! Nestlé is far from a small organisation. In a few years I may want to put myself forward for opportunities to work outside of the UK. This may be at factory sites in markets in Europe, product technology centres or beyond Europe in Asia or the Americas. This is an opportunity that not many companies can offer and opens doors to a whole range of different roles. Day to day I am often inspired by the amount of respect commanded by some of the people who work in the factories. These might be people who can coach and develop individuals who then go on to deliver fantastic results.

The proactive cooperation I see and experience between teams is massively encouraging and drives me to further develop these behaviours myself. Another big motivation for me is walking into the supermarket and seeing the coffee from our factory on the shelf. Hearing people talk about how good the products taste and knowing that you were involved in producing it is a nice feeling.

What challenges do you face?
'It’s somewhat of a cliché but no two days have been the same since starting in my role at Nestlé. As a graduate you are expected to take on challenging projects and deliver them to a high standard. This is very much the situation from day one. At some points during the past six months I have had to manage several projects at once. In order to deliver them successfully I have had to constantly balance and rebalance priorities. Some of the more difficult aspects of this include working with contractors and co-ordinating activities with production in the factory. It is challenging, yes, but also rewarding when you see the end result.

I have also had the chance to apply what I have learnt on my degree to real life scenarios in my work. The difference in what was expected at University to what is required for the factory is quite significant. A lot more needs to be taken into consideration in procuring a new item of equipment for use in the factory. The support network helps to bridge this gap and as a result I have quickly adapted to this different way of working.

What achievements have you gained?
'Since starting in september I have successfully delivered two engineering projects into the factory. The first of these is handover of a heat recovery system utilising waste exhaust gas vapours to generate steam. This project was already late and consequently there was ongoing pressure from senior stakeholders to deliver. 

Although the plant was physically installed and commissioned I was to encounter a number of problems when attempting to get the equipment operational. To achieve my goals required working closely with industrial services operators, contractors and equipment manufacturers. The result was fantastic – the waste heat boiler is not only operational but consistently generating steam for use in the coffee extraction process. The feedback I have been given from people across the factory has been extremely positive. I have also installed and commissioned a river water cooling control system.

This project was already underway when I joined the business but the project manager was moving into a different role. As well as leading the installation of a number of pumps and associated pipework I also created and briefed out one point lessons and standard operating procedures for technicians. By helping to reduce the site water usage I see this as a significant achievement. I was also featured in the monthly factory magazine!

What your career aspirations are?
'At the moment I am still exploring the different areas of engineering in Nestlé and the paths that engineers can take in the business. There are a range of roles in a number of very different factory environments. The two placements on the graduate scheme should help me gauge where I can make a positive impact on the business and help me decide at the end of the two years where I want to go next. The training and development over the next 18 months of the graduate scheme will also influence my decision and help steer me towards a particular area of interest. One thing is for certain though and that is I am definitely planning on staying with the company!'

Jeanette Allison

Engineering projects manager, United Biscuits

Jeanette Allison is the engineering projects manager for United Biscuits’ (UB) McVitie’s factory in Manchester. She joined UB in September 1992 as an engineering apprentice at the McVitie’s Carlisle factory.

The apprenticeship was six years long and was multi skilled including mechanical and electrical engineering. Following the completion of her apprenticeship Jeanette was appointed electrical projects technician. Her role included designing control panels, completing electrical installation work and supporting the projects department from an electrical point of view.

In 2001 Jeanette was appointed project engineer doing both mechanical and electrical installations and she then moved on to become projects manager for the factory in 2004. In 2007 Jeanette moved to McVitie’s Manchester as she wanted to gain experience at a different site and work with leading brands like Mcvitie’s Jaffa Cakes. She was responsible for the Jaffa Cakes projects and the refinery until September 2012, when she took responsibility for the whole site.

Jeanette is now responsible for implementing all capital spend on site, so she allocates budget to various projects, including growth, efficiency, health, safety and environment, infrastructure, and customer compliance (quality). As project manager her role is to monitor the workload within the department and adjust the resource levels to support that work, ensuring there is enough budget to cover the costs of the engineers.

Jeanette scopes all the projects from the initial idea, provides solutions to implement the idea, costs the solution, applies for the capital, manages the contractors, and then closes the project. She works with teams across the site to ensure she delivers the best solution.

Jeanette says the best thing about her role is that 'there is always something different to be delivered, from a new line to replacing obsolete equipment. I get satisfaction from delivering changes that improve ways of working, and I enjoy working with people on site to deliver the right solutions.'

Laura Fuller

Graduate engineer at Nestlé UK

Age – 25

When you joined – September 2011

Why you joined Nestlé and the food manufacturing industry?
'Having completed a Master’s in chemical engineering I looked at the different industries I could work in and decided on the food industry because it is a fast moving customer driven industry and I am interested in the products as a customer and consumer. It can be very rewarding seeing products you’ve worked on appearing in your local supermarket. Nestlé seemed like a very exciting company to work for as it is one of the largest companies in the world in the food and beverage industry.

How did you find the role/scheme?
'I attended my university’s annual careers fair and spoke to Nestlé . I was impressed by the opportunities they offered. They have a very structured graduate scheme which allows you to gain experience in two different factories for two different areas of the business in the UK (confectionery and beverages). I also liked the fact that the practical experience is backed up with six monthly courses to develop leadership, management and commercial awareness skills as well as technical courses to support the work you are doing. 

Following the careers fair I read profiles of graduates on the website and got more in depth information of the work I could be involved in during the scheme, from there I decided to apply.

What area do you work in?
'I am an engineering graduate for Nestlé, I work within a project engineering department in a factory. I have had the opportunity to work in both a seasonal confectionery factory and a milk processing beverage factory.

Your role and what you like about it?
'I have completed 17 months of my graduate scheme so far. I started working at a confectionery factory in Halifax where I was part of a project engineering department, implementing projects in the factory related to new product development, packaging changes and cleaning systems. I am now working at a beverage factory in Dalston within a large project department. The projects I have been involved in have meant that I have been involved in all stages of engineering work from concept design and costing through to installation and commissioning.

I particularly like that every day is different and I can get involved in many aspects of the factory operations. I have real responsibility on projects, I have been given small projects to lead as well as being part of large project teams. I like that my role involves a lot of working with people and being out in the factory. On a daily basis I work with colleagues, contractors and suppliers.

What inspires you?
'I am inspired by the drive in the factory to succeed at producing good quality products for consumers. I also see that there is so much opportunity at Nestlé to move around in the business and continue to gain new experiences and challenges following the graduate scheme.

What challenges do you face?
'As part of the graduate scheme you move from factory to factory so there is the challenge of getting to understand new processes quickly along with the factory structure and operation. This enables you to have a clear technical understanding behind the work being carried out so you can make valuable contributions to a project. However I have found there is a great support network in the factories that assist you in building this knowledge up when you first join a factory.

What achievements have you gained?
'So far I have achievements academically as I have gained qualifications in Food Hygiene, Safety and Project Management. Additionally I have developed my technical and project management skills through being part of successful project teams which have implemented new equipment or made improvements to the factory which have benefited factory productivity and assisted in developing Nestlé  brands. It has been very rewarding to see new products I helped develop in the shops.

What your career aspirations are?
'On completion of my graduate scheme I would like to go on to gain further experience in project engineering management both in the UK and abroad. I hope to become a project engineering manager for a factory looking after capital investment. I also hope to gain breadth in experience to support this aspiration by spending time in a production or maintenance factory role.'

Dean Miles

Burton's Biscuit Company

What is your role?
I’m an engineering projects manager for Burton’s Biscuit Company’s Llantarnam manufacturing site in South Wales, where we make iconic and well-known treats including Wagon Wheels and Jammie Dodgers. Specifically, I am responsible for delivering the site capital projects which include efficiency projects and equipment required for new product development at the site. Burton's have been focusing on automation projects over the last year, which includes the installation of new robotic case packing machines to our packaging lines, and installing automated process monitoring systems to monitor biscuit quality and line performance.

What type of engineering do you get involved in?
I manage site engineering projects, which requires designing, installing and commissioning new equipment and also making modifications to existing production lines at the site. The types of engineering I get involved in are really varied as the role requires a broad knowledge in many different aspects of engineering, ranging from mechanical engineering to electrical and control engineering. As a project manager, I also get to manage other engineers in my department, and work with contractors too.

Did you do any work placements during your engineering degree and how did they help you, if so?
I didn’t complete any work placements as part of my degree as I studied part-time and was employed as an electrical engineer at the time. The skills and knowledge gained from my experience in my job helped me to understand the different practical elements of the course, and also relate the course theory back to practical activities in my workplace.

Your degree would not have been the MEng Food Engineering as it is a new course starting September 2014.  What degree did you take and would it have been beneficial to you to get exposure to the food and drink industry as part of your degree?
I completed a BSc (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering which did not have any food industry specific elements. It would have been really useful to gain an understanding of the requirements of the food and drink industry, instead of having to rely on my previous experience and learning from others on the job.

What do you enjoy about your work?
I enjoy the variety within my role and the workplace. Each project tends to be unique and challenging in its own way and there are different skills required for the different phases within projects. Working in a food manufacturing environment is very rewarding, especially when something has been delivered successfully.

What inspires you?
I get inspiration from turning ideas into reality. This can sometimes be very challenging especially when there are no obvious solutions present, but pushing on, finding the answer and then making the ideas happen, can be very rewarding. In the company there has been significant investment in automation and robotics, and being involved in installing new technology and finding solutions to long-standing issues is also very motivating.

What challenges do you face?
Working with food means we have to be very careful about hygiene, safety and food quality, to ensure that we’re making perfect biscuits every time. To ensure this, we’ve just installed a new control room at our Llantarnam site, using technology that’s only been used in automotive and pharmaceutical manufacturing so far. The great thing about working with food is that the challenges mean that you get to work with ground-breaking technology like this.

How has your engineering degree helped move you towards your career aspirations?
Studying engineering has allowed me to become an expert in a British manufacturing success story – the food industry – and do a varied, challenging and rewarding job every day.

Beyond engineering, my degree really helped me develop my time management skills, which is crucial in such a fast-paced environment. 

Why did you choose the food manufacturing industry and Burton’s Biscuit Company?
I wanted to work in food manufacturing because it offers such broad opportunities.  In particular, the technology being implemented was really different to other engineering technologies, and this has given me the opportunity to gain and understand the different aspects of food manufacturing and food engineering systems and equipment.
Burton’s Biscuit Company has invested significantly in new technology and automation recently: £4.65m at the Llantarnam site alone. Technology is something that has always interested me, so I’m really happy to be involved.

What would you advise a student considering taking the MEng Food Engineering?
For those considering taking the MEng Food Engineering, I would say that to hit the ground running in a fast paced manufacturing environment it's essential to get an appreciation and understanding of the industry requirements and what is expected of a food industry engineer. By studying the course and completing the work placement, you can gain an in-depth understanding of the different aspects of food manufacturing, the systems and processes involved and also make the transition of moving into a working food manufacturing site smoother.

What advice would you give to students to get the most out of their placement?
To get the most out of a placement, I would suggest that each student develops a plan of what they would like to achieve and cover off in their placement. By setting clear objectives and working through these with the advice, knowledge and experience from the individuals at the site, it is possible to gain a good understanding of food manufacturing systems and processes in a short time period. There is a lot of information to take in, so be specific in what you want to cover off and what will support you in any future role.

Why would you advise an engineering student to consider a placement at Burton’s Biscuit Company?
Burton’s Biscuit Company is the UK’s leading biscuit-only manufacturer and makes iconic and well-loved brands, including Maryland Cookies and Cadbury Biscuits, so it's a really well known and respected name in the industry, as well as a growing business. We are investing in both facilities and new products – £13.5m in supply chain and manufacturing capabilities in 2013 alone – and have a whole team dedicated to research and development.
Burton’s Biscuit Company has world-class manufacturing facilities which would provide any engineering student with a really solid platform to apply the theory they’ve learnt to practical manufacturing examples. The biscuit sampling opportunities are also pretty good!

Jonathan Hagger

Graduate engineer at Nestlé UK

Age – 22

When you joined – September 2011

Why you joined Nestlé and the food manufacturing industry?
'The food manufacturing industry is one the most secure industries to work in at the moment – people will always need food, whereas planes or new cars aren’t an essential for living. Given that Nestlé is one of the world’s largest companies in the industry, the opportunity to work for them was one I was not going to pass up.

How did you find the role/scheme?
'During my degree, along with many of my fellow students, I expected that after uni I would be applying to Airbus, Land Rover, Caterpillar and other companies that would usually be considered as 'engineering' companies. When looking on graduate recruitment sites, and also on the Times Top 100 Graduate Employer list, I noticed Nestlé, and was intrigued about the engineering opportunities involved in a food/drinks manufacturer. Now I am working for them, I have been able to see and understand the demand for engineers, and the vast amount of equipment and engineering knowledge required to keep the factories running and up to date in this fast paced market.

What area do you work in?
'I have worked in the beverage division for the past 16 months, where I have been installing new production lines for the Dolce Gusto capsules. I will soon be transferring to work over in the confectionary division for my second placement on the graduate scheme, where I will be working on a variety of process and packaging projects.

Your role and what you like about it?
'My current role is in project engineering, mainly focussing on the designing and installation packaging equipment. The role offers me a high degree of responsibility, a great challenge, and the opportunity to work with a variety of different departments within the factory, given me exposure to many other sides to the business which I would not normally be involved with. I have also been fortunate enough to travel out to many suppliers and other Nestlé factories, across Europe to inspect equipment as part of the projects, allowing me to widen my contacts network, which I hope will aid me as I continue with my career at Nestlé.

What inspires you?
'The constant challenge of the ever changing business environment, and the demands this places on us as engineers, provides great inspiration to succeed and achieve the results required. The drive to progress and move up in the business also inspires me to perform and prove myself in my role.

What challenges do you face?
'I think that as an engineer in the food industry, the biggest challenge is dealing with the hygiene and safety requirements for all the work undertaken within the factories. Since joining I have gained a great appreciation for the level of detail that goes into the design and operation of production equipment and facilities to ensure high quality products are delivered to the customer.

What achievements have you gained?
'After working for Nestlé for just 1 year, I was put in charge of a £5million project to install and commission a new centralised palletisation system for the entire Dolce Gusto factory. I think proving myself competent over the first year, and as such, being given the opportunity and responsibility to run such a high value project, is my largest achievement so far.

What your career aspirations are?
'Having only experienced the projects side of engineering within Nestlé, currently I would aim towards being a project manager for large capex projects, with the vision of being able to be placed on secondment on different projects around the world. Alternatively, if given the opportunity to work in a more factory based engineering role and finding this is more suited to my abilities, then I would hope to achieve as much as I can in the new role, potentially aiming towards the role of Chief Engineer or T&P Director. The opportunity to gain international experience is also one which I am keen to explore.'

Alex Moubray

Graduate engineer at Nestlé UK

Age – 23

When you joined – September 2012

Why did you join Nestlé and the food manufacturing industry?      
'I did my dissertation working with Kraft foods on an improvement project. Doing this showed that the food manufacturing industry covered a tremendous breadth of my chemical engineering degree.

How did you find the role/scheme?
'Through my work with Kraft, opening up the food manufacturing sector.

What area do you work in?
'Engineering (process and project) in both beverage and confectionary.

Your role and what you like about it? 
'I get to work on fairly big plants and within reason, do with them as I see fit. It’s a high degree of freedom and responsibility at the same time.

What inspires you – technical challenge mainly.

What challenges do you face?
'Working to a hygienic standard, it was not something I really appreciated before joining Nestlé, but being in food manufacture puts a whole new spin on engineering, everything we do has to have food hygiene at its core at all times, most other industries are devoid of this challenge.

What achievements have you gained?
'Being the project manager on a million pound installation is a fairly big in my eyes, it will be a big achievement when it’s completed in a few months.

What your career aspirations are?
'Project Engineer, AMM, Factory Engineer, Factory Manager, Chief Engineer, Market Head of Technical and Production, Market Head, Head of zone, CEO.'

Burton's Biscuit Company

What will the student's role be on placement?
The placement student’s role at Burton’s Biscuit Company is primarily project based. Using their analytical and problem solving skills, the student works with our operational teams to bring about positive changes to our manufacturing capability. They have the opportunity to develop solid and lasting engineering solutions for our company.

How will the student benefit from the placement?
The student is part of the UK’s leading biscuit-only manufacturer, helping to make iconic and well-known brands including Jammie Dodgers, Wagon Wheels and Cadbury Biscuits.

As a growing company, both domestically and overseas, we are investing significantly in our manufacturing and supply chain operation: £13.5m in 2013, following a £12.5m investment in 2012. This means students are able to learn ground-breaking food manufacturing techniques – like Burton’s Llantarnam site’s control room which monitors production using industry-leading technology only previously used by automotive and pharmaceutical industries.

Burton’s world-class manufacturing facilities provide any engineering student with a really solid platform to apply the theory they’ve learnt on their course. They might even get to sample some delicious biscuits too!

How will the company benefit from the placement?
As a leading UK-based manufacturer, we are dedicated to ensuring that the UK food industry continues to thrive. Working with students not only helps to ensure a pipeline of fresh talent into the industry, but also allows Burton’s to shape and understand industry trends and technologies.

What is it about the MEng Food Engineering course and its students that appeals to you?
The UK food manufacturing industry is world-class, but it’s only as good as the people working in it. A food-specific engineering course ensures that students can learn more about the challenges and opportunities of food manufacture – such as hygiene and quality standards – and ready them for the world of work much more quickly. It will also attract graduates who are interested in engineering, but hadn’t realised that food manufacturing is just as fascinating, rewarding and cutting edge as other areas.