National Apprenticeship Week is just around the corner, and this year it’s all about Skills for Life. At the Nestlé Academy, we’re about helping people grow, whether that’s through graduate schemes, apprenticeships, placements or upskilling opportunities. Our apprenticeships give people a real route into learning, hands-on experience, and long-term career development.
Meet Jill Coyle, Apprentice Market Lead at Nestlé UK and Ireland, here to share more about all things apprenticeships.
What do you look after in your role?
“My role is honestly the best job ever. I make apprenticeships happen at Nestlé, ensuring we have the best programmes on offer to set people up for exciting careers in the food and drink industry. I get to play a very small role in people’s lives, at all ages, as they carve out their careers. It’s very humbling to know you’ve been a tiny cog in shaping someone’s future.”
Why apprenticeships matter at Nestlé
What is an apprenticeship?
“Simply put, it’s learning while you earn. You do a real job, and you are paid – what's not to love! Many people thrive when they are taught a skill and then learn how it works by putting it into practice straight away. There’s lots of useful information online too which I’d recommend checking out – especially this Government website as a starting point: What is an apprenticeship?”
How do apprenticeships support long-term success?
“Whether someone joins straight from school or after university, we’re proud of how we nurture our new colleagues, offering buddying, mentoring and strong pastoral support to make that first big step into work feel as smooth as possible. These foundations help people build confidence and resilience and the skills they need to grow into accomplished professionals, and the business benefits at every stage.”
Which roles are live this year and is there anything new to look out for?
“We’re launching two brand new degree apprenticeships. For the first time we’re offering one in our Sales team and following the successful advanced level route into our Supply Chain team for years, we’re now stepping up to a degree apprenticeship. We’re also recruiting in Engineering, Operations, Packaging and Confectionery, so there’s lots of opportunities to come and join us. We also offer a Digital Marketing Apprenticeship, and it has proven so popular that we have had to close it early!”
What you need to know about apprenticeships
What are some myths you hear about apprenticeships that aren’t the reality?
“There are plenty of misunderstandings out there, often because apprenticeships have changed so much in the last 15 years. They’re not just for young people. They’re not only for traditional trades. And apprenticeships are paid. In many fields, apprenticeships can be the best entry route.”
Apprenticeships aren’t only for people at the beginning of their careers. How are we using them to upskills colleagues too?
“At Nestlé, we’re making the most out of the opportunity to upskill our colleagues using an apprenticeship pathway. From project management to packaging, data analysis to coaching and leadership to sustainability, our colleagues have boosted their knowledge, learned new skills that our business needs and stepped up the career ladder, all via apprenticeships. Many describe their apprenticeship as “life changing”. There can be lots of reasons why people didn’t or couldn’t learn when they were younger. There isn’t an age limit to achieving your ambition.”
When you look at successful candidates, what do they tend to do well?
“We totally understand that applications often feel daunting, everyone has been there. We want candidates to show us the best version of themselves. Our recruitment process focuses on your strengths and potential, allowing us to identify your natural abilities and interests. Tell us what you want to do and what you’re good at but also tell us where you’d like to improve and what your long-term aims are."
NAW's theme is Skills for Life
What does that mean at Nestlé UK and Ireland?
“We often think learning only happens in your early years, but that’s not true. The world moves quickly, faster than ever thanks to technology, and staying part of it means continuing to evolve, grow, and learn. I am showing my age, but when I went to school, there was no internet, there were no mobile phones, and there were only three TV channels. Look at how far the world has come.
“Our big skills priorities at Nestlé reflect wider industry and societal shifts: digital and AI skills, a diverse engineering pipeline and strong, inspiring leadership. We want to give people the chance to build new skills which help them play an active, fulfilling role in work and in life. We’re committed to lifelong learning and encourage our colleagues to keep developing their skills throughout their careers.”
To apply or find out more about our apprenticeships, explore here: Apprenticeships | Nestlé United Kingdom & Ireland
