Coca-Cola Europacific Partners offers a wide range of different Apprenticeship Schemes, including: Sales, Merchandising, Business Administration and Engineering. We offer on-the-job training as well as valuable experience working alongside some of our highly skilled colleagues. For more details see below!
Business Apprenticeship
Our Business apprenticeship program allows you to learn on the job whilst working with experts in each of our departments. If you have not decided what area of business you are interested in this is the perfect opportunity to join a program that supports working in all of our different departments to set yourself up for a rewarding career.
Samah Rafiq, Business Administration apprentice, CCEP, 2019-present
“I joined the CCEP team in 2019 having driven past the Sidcup CCEP site in my final year of college and saw a banner that advertised the apprenticeship scheme. I really liked the idea of being able to work and also gain a qualification at the same time as this would give me the best of both worlds. Having the opportunity to do six-month rotations in different departments also caught my attention; this meant that I would be able to learn new skills and different job roles and identify what I enjoyed most and where my skill set is best suited.
“My first rotation within my apprenticeship was in planning where I was given the responsibility to order materials. My role in supply chain is a critical part of the business and each of the roles I learn in my apprenticeship are key to production. Since returning back to site, I have started my second rotation in the QESH department (Quality, Environment, Safety and Health) – I analyse and extract data from different reports, creating quality checks for manufacturing lines.
“My apprenticeship has boosted my confidence due to talking and liaising with so many different people across the organisation. In my first month of joining CCEP, I presented to the local MP James Brokenshire and CCEP Vice President & General Manager of GB at the opening of our new production line, which was a huge achievement.
“I’m very passionate about advocating apprenticeships and opportunities for BAME Women in Supply Chain. I’m the first in my family to do an apprenticeship and I’m keen to demonstrate that going to university is not the only option. I have always been passionate in breaking down stereotypes; it’s why I’m also taking the opportunity to get involved in as many and work opportunities in during my apprenticeship – and I’m only in my first year! For example, I’ve been able to set up a skills matrix to analyse skills gaps in the production team and have had the opportunity to be a Just Be Ambassador, promoting inclusion and diversity.”
Field Sales Apprenticeship
You will work within a defined sales area with allocated customers. The customers you will be interacting with could include everything from small independent convenience stores, national high street names, large supermarkets, licensed bars, restaurants & cafes, educational establishments, independent cash & carry’s and wholesalers. You will also work with the wider team to deliver sales targets by strengthening existing relationships and also creating new business.
Davana Tomkin-Salmon, Inbound sales representative apprentice, 2017-2018
“I completed my apprenticeship in Sales and Management with CCEP in 2018, and I’m now working for them as an outside sales rep. My job allows me to be based all around the UK and I love meeting all the suppliers and putting my pitching skills to the test.
“I didn’t want to go to university because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study, so when CCEP came to my school to talk about the apprenticeships they offered, I was really interested in working straight away and gaining a well-recognised qualification at the same time.
“When I started, I was excited about the responsibility I would be given as this was my first job, and after studying Art and Sciences at A-Level, I was intrigued about the opportunities it could offer me in the future. The apprenticeship enabled me to utilise skills I hadn’t explored before and really boosted my confidence. I was really pushed outside of my comfort zone, as I worked with people who were much older than me and I was given responsibility to work on big accounts that are crucial for the businesses’ success. Once I had mastered the skills required for the job, I was able to put my own flair to it and get creative with my selling skills.
“The skills I learnt during my apprenticeship have been invaluable for my job now. I had to problem solve under pressure, communicate with a wide range of people and use my time effectively, which I use daily in my current role. I am hoping in the future I can turn my hand to a different area of the business – I’m confident the skills I have learnt in the last three years will take me far in the future.”
Merchandising Apprenticeship
You will work within your specific territory to increase the visibility and availability of our iconic brands as part of a wider team. By visiting grocery stores on a daily and weekly basis, you will be able to strengthen and develop customer relationships by collaborating with both your team colleagues and in store colleagues to achieve great results.
Jamie Powell – Customer Service Specialist Apprentice - 2019 to 2020
“My role as a merchandiser involved visiting grocery stores such as Tesco, Asda and Morrisons. My main responsibility was to focus on the availability of our products in store, particularly the instant consumption packs which you find located at the front of the store with the sandwiches and meal deals. If anything was missing, I would go to the warehouse and try to locate them and bring them out to fill the fridges. Otherwise I would find a store handset to check the inventory for the missing product and correct it to ensure stock levels reflected what was in store. This role really prepared me for sales. You build relationships with numerous people from; store management, warehouse staff, office staff as well as various colleagues from CCEP. It develops your communication skills and prepares you for difficult situations or conversations that may occur with customers”.
“I chose the Customer Service Specialist apprenticeship as I thought it would be a great opportunity to develop my skills alongside my customer facing job role. It gave me a different perspective of how you can handle different situations in a customer service role. I learnt about objection handling and how you can provide alternative solutions to overcome these and tailor these solutions to each customer for their individual needs. This really helped me with problem solving and building good relationships with key customers. I also learnt about the business structure and the different channels I would collaborate with if the opportunity arose”.
“The apprenticeship really prepared me for the field sales role as you have a lot more customers across different environments such as convenience shops, fast food and pubs. The customer demographic is very diverse and so my communication skills have been vital to my success in this role. The skills I have learnt have enabled me to really support my customers and provide solutions for them, which has contributed to my success of achieving targets and bonus”.
Engineering Apprenticeship
If you have a love of all things technical and relish solving problems, then developing your career as an Engineer could be the right next step for you. If learning about maintaining our cutting-edge machinery sounds fascinating to you, then our apprentice programme may be the next chapter in your career. You will get to learn about our Coca-Cola products and work alongside a highly skilled team, all whilst earning money!
Toby Singh, Engineering apprentice, CCEP, 2014-2018
“Since joining CCEP in 2014 I have been able to stretch my skills and knowledge so much further than I anticipated. I graduated from my first apprenticeship with CCEP in 2018 and have now started studying for a degree apprenticeship in Engineering Manufacturing Design. Because of my first apprenticeship with CCEP I was able to be fast tracked into the second year of the degree, which for me is a big achievement.
“During my first apprenticeship with CCEP, in year one I got to learn both in the classroom about the basic fundamentals of engineering, and hands-on with tools and electrical circuits. In my second and third years, I worked four days a week in the East Kilbride factory in Scotland and went to college one day a week to continue my learning. It feels like on the apprenticeship you really learn not just every aspect of engineering, but also about other parts of the business. I was given a buddy who worked in a different area which meant I learnt more about the business, as well as learning alternative techniques I could apply to my job in the factory.
“In fourth year, I was trusted with more responsibilities, allowing me work independently and test the skills and knowledge I had learnt over the past three years. By the time I finished the apprenticeship I was able to work independently as an engineer on the lines.
“At Christmas in 2018 the Capri-Sun lines were installed in the East Kilbride factory and I was offered a full-time role. I have loved seeing the sustainable changes that have been made over the last two years, including the introduction of paper straws to remove plastic waste. It is a really rewarding job to have around my studies and I hope to be able to stretch my knowledge in the future.”
Apprentice spotlight
Another part of my role is to make sure that all of our products are available
Shane Carrington
Merchandiser
See Shane’s storyFrequently asked questions
As a sales executive / representative, I act as the key interface between Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) and its customers – offering advice, dealing with issues and introducing them to new products. Sales representatives like myself play a vital role in increasing sales to our existing customers, as well as attracting new customers and helping to meet the company’s overall business targets. Most sales reps are given a specific region to deal with, such as the South-East of England, or a specific product range to sell.
You achieve a level 3 qualification in Business Administration at the end of the apprenticeship. For this programme you would study in the workplace and the training company would visit you in your work location and hold virtual sessions with you throughout the programme.
The application process involves four stages – firstly you apply online at the CCEP careers site for the apprenticeship, you are then sent a link to an online gamification assessment. If you are successful at that stage, you are then invited to either a video or telephone interview. The final stage of the process is an assessment centre.
Doing an apprenticeship allows you to earn whilst you learn and provides you with ongoing continuous work experience. It means that at the end of your apprenticeship you will not have any debt or loans to pay back. Also, you have lots of great transferable skills and knowledge to build into your CV.
CCEP welcomes people with a range of qualifications and backgrounds, from those who have studied Maths or Science to those who have a passion for English or Design. Other skills that all the roles require include problem solving, the ability to work in a team and dealing confidently with people. But remember, as this is an apprenticeship, it will teach you technical and practical skills as well.
After your program ends
Having successfully completed an apprenticeship program, our apprentices have the opportunity to become permanent employees at CCEP in their chosen career. Since 2017, 85% of our apprentices have chosen to continue their career with us. Others have made the decision to go into higher education full time, having gained valuable insight into the world of work.
Continued development
We are committed to the continued development of our apprentices beyond the end of their programs as we help to build them into future leaders within CCEP. In 2021, all of our apprentices will be given the opportunity to continue their studies once they have completed their program – gaining a degree with one of our university partners. Options for degree apprenticeships include: Engineering, Supply Chain Management or Business Management.
Sound interesting?
We are looking for ambitious individuals who want to learn and develop in their career. We are looking for determination and a passion to succeed in your chosen path. Just as important – we're looking for people who have the personality to bring our brands alive!
Talk to our employees