What will you be doing with Mondelez?
Mondelez International is one of the largest snack companies in the world with iconic global and local brands such as Oreo, belVita, and LU biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka, and Toblerone chocolate; Sour Patch Kids candy and Trident gum. I will be working as an RDQ (Research, Development & Quality) Intern and would be involved with things such as planning and execution of tests of various scales (e.g. benchtop, pilot plant, and factory), as well coordinating informal sensory assessments. Key deliverables would be to produce technical reports/presentations and periodically communicate key findings to stakeholders. I would also have the opportunity to interact with the wider RDQ Community, other business functions, and external suppliers.
How did you get the placement?
I first applied to the early bird scheme of the Mondelez International application process way back in August 2020 and slowly but steadily progressed from the application stage to the online test and interview stages, ultimately reaching the assessment center stage. I successfully completed this final stage and as a result, was offered a placement opportunity at my dream company in December 2020! Hence, as you can see, a long period of time had gone from the process of applying for the role to actually getting the offer! So, applying early helped a lot since places are obviously limited, and very few applicants actually make it to the final stages. Additionally, preparing in advance (especially getting my CV and LinkedIn sorted over the summer) was a huge boost since I was able to apply to multiple positions quickly and efficiently when companies started advertising their positions.
What do you think the challenges will be?
Going forward, I think the biggest challenge that I see coming my way is transitioning from university student life to work-life. In a matter of a few months, a lot of things would be changing such as my working style, workplace environment. Most importantly, I would be coming out of my comfort zone since having spent 3 years at Sheffield I have obviously formed a certain friend circle and lifestyle over here. However, instead of thinking of this as a challenge, I think embracing it as an important step in my career prospect is something I have been telling myself repeatedly. Also, from a more long-term perspective, I think remote working and uncertainties of the future impact of the pandemic are two things that do creep into my mind as well.
How will this help you on your course?
This placement would definitely help my course as firstly, I would be able to apply the skills and knowledge that I've gained during the last 3 years into practice when I commence my placement at Mondelez. In addition, I would be learning numerous things such as industrial norms, food safety principles, commercial aspects of projects, etc which I would be able to in turn apply to my own learning when I return to the University after the placement to complete my final year.
Why did you choose to study Chemical Engineering at Sheffield?
The department at the University of Sheffield is ranked number 1 in the UK for research environment, top 5 in the UK for chemical engineering output (REF 2014), and top 10 in the UK for studying Chemical Engineering (Guardian 2021). Hence this in itself was a huge impetus for me to choose to complete a Chemical Engineering degree at Sheffield. The serene surrounding clubbed with the modern innovative technological setup is a unique blend for the University. Being an extensively research-based university, it imbibes a powerful blend of learning and applied research as a key part of the curriculum.