Mars: They have a number of graduate programmes, which include General Management (MMDP), European Finance, Engineering, Purchasing and R&D. Their Mars Management Development Programme comprises three 12-month placements, which will have a supply or demand bias. Supply includes areas like Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain, Purchasing and R&D. Demand covers Marketing, Sales and HR. The European Finance Development Programme consists of three 12-month placements working in supply finance, consumer finance and financial control.

You could be working at any of Mars sites and in any of their categories (Chocolate, Petcare, Food, Drinks or Gum & Confections). The Purchasing role comprises two 12-month placements. You could find yourself sourcing emerging technology to enhancing production lines, negotiating improved payment terms to delivering cost savings, or scouring the world to find new and better suppliers. The Engineering role comprises three different placements of eight months each, working closely with Production, Maintenance or R&D on anything from developing a new production line, or a site-wide heating system to installing a new robotic wrapping machine. The R&D role comprises three placements of 8 months each. It provides exposure to both the chocolate and petcare business units. Typically, they’ll cover product development, technology and the interface between R&D and manufacturing.