At CCEP we want to provide opportunities for young people to experience the world of work. Our summer internships and placements allow you to gain an invaluable insight into the world of Coca-Cola, whilst gaining valuable employability skills.
Summer interns
As a summer intern you will have the opportunity to gain real experience and be provided relevant training to support your academic studies. You will have the opportunity to work as part of a diverse team, and you will work on a variety of meaningful work assignments and projects during your time with us.
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.”
Placement programme
Our 9 to 12-month placement programme provides a great opportunity to have many new experiences, develop new skills, learn about the work of Coca-Cola and put your new found knowledge into practice, in a stretching role within our organisation.
Tony Augustine, Sidcup Factory Industrial Placement Student 2019-2020
"I joined the CCEP team in Sidcup in September 2019 to undertake a placement year as part of my Chemical Engineering degree. I was attracted to the idea of being able to gain real-world experience in a sector in which I had great interest, parallel to the completion of my degree. Within my placement, I could work across a variety of roles in the business, learn new skills and develop an understanding of what functions in industry suited me.
During my placement, I undertook an assortment of tasks such as troubleshooting issues on production lines and then presenting my findings to the Manufacturing and Engineering teams. I also gained the opportunity to work with external contractors and manufacturers on several commissioning projects, where I would be involved in large-scale improvements from start to finish.
The diversity of the placement was fantastic for my development, as I was able to independently tackle challenges within the role that I undertook, but also had the privilege to liaise with professionals across various departments and backgrounds. An achievement I’m proud of during my time at CCEP, was the creation of a matrix that analysed the Sidcup site’s historical performance, as the ability to provide value to the company directly through my work was extremely rewarding.
I would thoroughly recommend anyone in university to seek out an internship, as the skills I have gained whilst being at CCEP has been invaluable to me across everything I have done since. I can safely say that I’ve developed both professionally and personally, due to these experiences."
Graduate programme
We are launching our 'University Talent Programme' in summer 2021. This programme will involve either 3 or 4 rotations; depending on the programme that you join. Come back here for more information.
Margherita Barlotti – Graduate Programme Case Study
“In 2015 after graduating from the Brunel University with a Master's Degree in Engineering Management I joined CCEP on the University Talent Program - Supply Chain (a 3-years rotational programme across different manufacturing facilities aimed to provide practical experience, responsibilities increasing at each rotation and high level exposure within the Supply Chain functions).
My first rotation was in production planning at the Milton Keynes factory where my main task was to manage the day-to-day production plan for two canning lines, providing me with a great foundation of the business operations. During my second rotation as Team Leader (Edmonton - North London facility) I was responsible for 16 operators within the syrup room department. This was probably the most rewarding experience from a personal point of view as I got to know more about myself and discovered what I was good at: communicating with people. In the final rotation I had the opportunity to join the Central GB BU Engineering Team where I was presented with the chance to take the lead on an important project for the business: the introduction of the Soft Drink Tax which translated into the introduction of multiple pack formats and a variety of bottle sizes across 3 manufacturing facilities and 6 production lines (within a timeframe of 6 months!). At the end of this last rotation it was clear to me that things change all the time, every day so you need to be adaptable and able to cope with constant change as you move on!
If I look back, I'm so proud of what I've been able to achieve over those 3 years particularly. CCEP allowed me to gather business acumen while discovering new cultures, places and getting to know amazing people which I believe is a valuable combination to shape the leaders of the future. The steep learning curve and the trust I gained from all the people I interacted with, has also changed my personal confidence level. My mentor has been a constant presence at every step of the way, challenging me over this time, always pushing me out of my comfort zone and motivating me to do better.
At the end of the Programme, I joined the GB Commercialisation Team as a Project Manager where I broadened my knowledge and got an overall view of the end-to-end Supply Chain. During that time, I also got exposed to the Coca-Cola Company environment and understood how to deliver the Commercial Agenda in line with our business objectives.
It's been almost 2 years since I joined the Central Engineering function in the European Packaging Team and I consider myself so lucky to have been able to experience different roles, still interacting with experienced professionals and learning from them, expanding my knowledge year by year and day by day of how our business operates and the challenges different teams face, but most importantly I'm grateful to be part of a special and unique environment where everyone's voice is heard, decisions made collaboratively and the hard work recognised.”
Youth Friendly Employer of the Year
Frequently asked questions
A summer internship typically lasts around 8 weeks, and a placement is between 9 and 12 months.
The application process involves three or four stages – firstly you apply online at the CCEP careers site for the vacancy, 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.
We are looking for ambitious students with effective communication skills, a ‘can-do’ attitude, the desire to learn and ability to work well with others.
The programme will consist of either 3 or 4 rotations, this will be dependent on the programme that you join. The rotations will provide an opportunity to experience and gain insight into the functions areas of the programme and is likely to have a project assigned as part of this programme.
Post completion of your studies we welcome applications from our past placements or interns, if the vacancies are available. All opportunities will be posted onto our Early Careers job page.
Everyone's welcome
For us, inclusion and diversity isn’t about statistics. It’s creating an environment where you feel like your best self and have people you can reach out to when you don’t. Our answer is the Just Be Network, made up of CCEP employees organising events for issues we’re passionate about, such as Pride and mental wellbeing. And not least, promoting equal and fair chances within our workplace.
Sustainability
Sustainability is at the heart of our business and we understand we have an impact on our environment and the societies in which we operate.
Our sustainability plan includes a series of measurable targets for six action areas - drinks, packaging, society, water, climate and supply chain. These targets provide a clear direction for how we intend to work with partners across our value chain to be a force for good to build a better future - for people and for the planet.
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!