Sathwik, CHAiNGERS Trainee Dublin, Ireland
I would say there isn't just one element that I can pick to be the coolest part, but many awesome experiences that make the entire program very cool! Some of these experiences include an exclusive onboarding week in the headquarters at Dusseldorf, where we get to meet the top management leadership group of the organisation, and get to know the team up close. There is a company sponsored lean six sigma green belt training that we get to undertake along the course of the program. The program is extremely agile, allows us to chart our own career path in the areas of our interest, thereby making the CHAiNGERS program unique to each trainee. It is also very motivating for us trainees to be looked at as the next big thing, being part of this program. Lastly, we get to manage big projects, which one usually doesn't get to experience at the nascency of the career - this also helps us build a solid network across different global regions.
Could you tell us a little more about your different rotations?
We all start off with 6 months in Production, and then get to choose the departments we want to try our hands in. Thanks to the feedback sessions as part of the program, I got to realise the demarcation between production-based work and office-based work, and where my stronger suit was. With this in mind, I got to try out rotations in the following departments - Logistics, Packaging Engineering, R&D, Quality, Sales and Customer Service. Each rotation gave me an additional dimension of knowledge about the organisation, and an opportunity to carry out projects with different kinds of people. Ultimately, I gained a lot of information on the business as a whole, was able to connect the dots of my learnings and become efficient and effective at the work I did as the days went by.
Do you have any tips for others considering applying at Henkel?
Firstly, if you are someone looking to make a career in Operations and Supply Chain and are just starting out, look no further than this program! Henkel is a wonderful organisation to work at, where the number of opportunities for a fantastic career is numerous. Ensure you do your bit about getting to about the company before applying. Tailor your CV to the requirements of the role, and in the interviews, showcase the ambition you may have for yourself. Be clear on what you can bring to the company, while at the same time stating what you expect to obtain in return.
It seems like the group of trainees are close – how is it being part of that CHAiNGERS crew?
We CHAiNGERS do not consider each other colleagues, but friends who are helping each other excel. I am sure the 9 others in my program would agree with this statement. We are all located at different sites, but mentally we are all together in the same environment due to which we resonate with one another in the program. There is no sense of competition, but only a collaborative mindset. The comfort level within is so much that there is absolute safe space between us where we are not shy to make mistakes, and also improve ourselves. We are all looked at as future leaders, and facilitated with leadership workshops to bring the best out of not just ourselves, but one another.
