Engineering's Future Leader
Vicki, Warwick
Graduate
"I applied to Heinz because I wanted
to join a company where I could get stuck in and make a tangible
difference; a company that was well loved and respected and was big
enough to be known, but not so big that I'd get lost inside one
department for the full two years.
I've been working at Heinz for less
than a month so far but I am really enjoying it. In the short time
I've been here I have mainly been on an extended induction process:
one week on the graduate induction, one week on a CI induction in
can making and now I am in the soups centre where I will be working
on projects for the next 6-9 months. The first day in can making
was a great introduction to the business, and everyone was very
friendly. The graduate corporate induction week was absolutely
great. It was wonderful to meet up with all the different grads and
start making contacts which will be useful all the way through the
scheme.
Kitt Green is a very unique site, for one thing it's huge- over
30 football pitches, and each section is full of new challenges. A
lot of work is going on in the factory based around continuous
improvement and I have been helping with some loss and yield
studies in the can making factory. Having just arrived in soups I
am learning my way around, before getting started on some exciting
projects; such as one that could make £450k saving a year. I
have also just started setting up process maps to help with another
40/50k loss project.
I am most enjoying seeing all of the work that can be done;
there are lots and lots of potential to make a significant
difference over the next two years. I am also enjoying being able
to go and get really lost whilst learning the processes. It's means
a lot more when you have discovered it yourself rather than it just
being told to you. The biggest challenge is that it's a very big
factory and it can be quite segregated although it is improving a
lot.
The culture here is very friendly, I am looking forward to
seeing the improvements that will come of big initiatives such as
Game Changing Leadership. In the factory people are very helpful,
most go out of their way to help out and I have had loads of
support from my line manger and my coach in my office.
Where do I see myself in three years time? ... well I see myself
as a CI manager working on more profit improvement projects, or
perhaps an Operations Manager transforming the factory and helping
drive out performance up and up. Or maybe working on maintenance
systems helping make Heinz truly world class... there are so many
possibilities!
The scheme gives me a good balance of moving around the company,
hands on engineering and management training. If I achieve
all that is hoped of me I will have a fulfilling and rewarding
career."