As I completed my master’s degree at University of Nottingham, I knew the next career step for me was to embark on a degree placement within a food manufacturing business.
I saw the Technical Graduate programme at Greencore, and this programme really stood out to me as there was the opportunity to rotate across different sites and experience a variety of manufacturing processes.
Since joining Greencore in 2022, I’ve had many development opportunities, these have been a blend of on-the-job experiences, as well as formal learning which has increased my knowledge and confidence.
As part of my programme rotation, I’ve had exposure to many different roles within Technical, from Hygiene to Technical Services, and so much more. All of this experience is helping me to shape my career, and there’s so much development on offer at Greencore.
I’ve met some brilliant colleagues at Greencore who have been very supportive and encouraged me to actively drive my own development.
What’s been great is having regular conversations with my line manager and identifying areas which I want to focus on, and together we build a development plan centred around my next steps and what goals I want to achieve.
I’m now a mentor to one of the other Technical Degree Apprentice, I’m sharing my knowledge and experience that I’ve gained with others. The process has shown me how much I’ve developed personally, and it’s hugely rewarding to support someone else as they start on their career with Greencore.
As you consider a career with us, my advice is to make the most of the opportunities that come your way, as you develop your career, be open to exploring new experiences to support your development.

I joined Greencore working as a Line Coordinator in 2021 and progressed my career by becoming a Team Leader in 2022. I really love my job and working in Production. It gives me the energy and motivation to work hard and face many challenges. I enjoy working with people and I try to keep them happy at work by supporting them and listening. I strive to be a great Team Leader and I know that I can get the best from my team if they are happy at work.
I am lucky to have a team who want to work hard and do a good job. I encourage my team to let me know if they want development and progress within Greencore. We offer training and support, and want you to succeed. When I asked my manager for support, they encouraged me and gave me the confidence to apply for a promotion. I would like to continue my development at Greencore and my goal is to become a Manufacturing Shift Manager.

I joined Greencore in 2016 as Manufacturing Manager at Crosby site and chose Greencore because it gave me confidence there was a genuine opportunity to progress to General Manager, and to achieve my career goals.
Just a year into my career, that started to take shape and I took up the opportunity to complete a degree and underpin my lived experience with leadership and management theory. I started my level 6 Chartered Management Degree in 2017 and was supported all the way by Greencore, my colleagues, peers, and leaders.
Whilst studying I was given the opportunity to step up, and apply some of that new learning, moving into a Head of Operations role, and soon after met my career goal, being promoted to General Manager in 2018. I graduated with Nottingham Trent University in 2021.
Since then, I have solidified my learning, and remained open to opportunities, taking on reverse mentoring opportunities, and coaching and mentoring others. I am now grateful to be helping others tread my path, and am supporting our Talent, Development, and Inclusion team to create opportunities for growth and progression through development centre activity. Our development centres help prepare colleagues with potential to become a General Manager, through a 3-month programme of self-discovery, learning, feedback and development focus, so now I can help mentor others.
I remain committed to learning, it's so important you keep an open mind, be that in the development or inclusion space. Now as a leader of a site, I recognise how important it is, to help others make those steps, and open opportunities for growth. Others believed in me, and opened those doors, so now I take enjoyment from doing that for others. No leader should consider themselves ‘the finished article’ and Greencore are great at providing new and different facets to learn and explore.
As you consider a career with us, my advice is to ensure you take control of your development, no one is better placed to lead it than you, and you’ll certainly find the tools, support, and opportunities here – the key is taking them, don’t miss an opportunity that comes your way.

I joined Greencore in early 2024 and I work in one of our factories in Hygiene. As an autistic colleague, I am eager to share my experience working here. For me autism is a mixture of sensory and communication experiences. It’s important to see the nuance of an autistic experience. This is not to say that all autistic experience is the same, but I am sharing a few elements of mine here.
Factories aren’t for everybody for the mere fact that some individuals do not enjoy the repetition, but honestly the routine nature of a consistent role within the factory is soothing for me. Once I grasp a task, though it may be a different processing time than others, I tend to put my full efforts into it. I am very passionate.
Processing, for me, relates to the verbal and practical understanding of a job such as stacking trays, knowing how many completes a stack, where they need to go etc. I understand my role, but sometimes a few things can happen that interrupt my capacity to continue, and a short break is key to sustaining my responsibilities, and this has been supported for me. These short-term breaks can prevent long-term overwhelm.
I have an incredibly supportive team of people around me that are open to listening to me. This brings up another aspect of autistic experience whilst at Greencore, downtime. Most people around me seem to engage in conversation or even be by themselves with headphones on in the canteen full of people, but I don’t always want to be around people and my colleagues understand that.
Stimming is something autistic people (and others) do to feel good, to express themselves and to regulate their input (sensory, emotional etc.) One of the ways I ‘stim’ is pacing. I find myself walking around the space, locating the best places to regulate my body and mind, to ‘recharge’ and have most recently found that sitting in Reception has been beneficial to my autistic ways of being. I am committed to being the best version of myself, I genuinely believe others want me to succeed and I feel empowered by their support. It is crucial to consider the environments people like me may need to provide the optimum results for all involved, from colleagues to customers and everyone in-between, and I am finding that here.

I found Greencore on my search to further my education, knowing that the best way I learn is on the job, and with family who worked in food manufacturing, I was excited at the opportunities available in our sector. I fell in love with Greencore from the moment I attended an assessment centre, having done a few, this experience was great, it was full of people sharing their knowledge, I was welcomed with warmth, the culture was clearly the place for me and I was sold.
That support continued as I joined, and particularly through covid, the care given to me from managers, mentors, talent and development teams, HR colleagues and many more. I have loved working in Operations, and a career highlight, along with achieving my programme aim of becoming a Zone Manager, was when I ran my production line, with my team of c30 colleagues for the first time solo, it’s a big responsibility but so motivating and rewarding.
I knew nothing about operations when I joined, but the experience, exposure and education I have be provided all set me up so succeed. I’ve been in my Zone Manager role for 3 years now, and during that time two things have been pivotal to my growth. First the support of a great mentor, who I shadowed, who was patient with me when I asked lots of questions, shared their knowledge, was unselfish with their time and cared about me. Second, the learning and growth opportunities we have, The Line Manager Framework has been excellent, helping me to learn about what’s expected of me as a manager, what behaviours are important, and giving me the knowledge I need to lead my team.
My advice, as you consider a career with us, is to know we’re a place that fosters growth, and there is always room to develop. I am not done yet either, my next ambition is Manufacturing Manager, and maybe one day I could be our next General Manager.

My journey began with Greencore, when I joined through an agency in 2018 as a Production Operative, and soon after I moved into the Hygiene team as a Greencore colleague. I work well with my Team Leader, who noticed that I was a hard worker committed to my role and recognised my potential.
I really enjoy working at Greencore, they understand that my priority is to best support my family, so they are flexible with me, and they know just how important having a healthy work life balance is for me. I enjoy being able to see the results of my work, everyone I work with is friendly and I enjoy their company.
Throughout my career at Greencore, team leaders and line managers have supported my development. I was fortunate to be invited to join our Line Coordinator Programme and have recently completed my 12-month learning journey, which has helped me to engage my team, recognise potential in others, and deliver in my role. It’s given me skills, knowledge and confidence, and I highly recommend it to others. I am still keen to develop and am always looking for ways to grow my skills. Greencore is a place I know I can move further towards my career aims.

I chose Greencore as a place to build my career, recognising the scale of opportunities that would be available. I wanted to learn, work and build a career that gave me exposure and experience not just an academic route. The degree apprenticeship really appealed to me, the chosen university Nottingham Trent also attracted me, and I could see how the programme would give me everything I was looking for.
I joined on the commercial pathway, and have really enjoyed the variety of the programme, the support and the experience it has given me. I didn’t know what I wanted to do in my career, so the rotations, variety of different teams and different roles has enabled me to make a set of career choices. I have spent time in consumer insight, as an account executive and in procurement, and it’s all helped me decide that procurement is where my passion lies, and I’m now an NPD buyer.
I’m ambitious, and the pace, flexibility and variety at Greencore has helped me learn and develop, I’m confident in my career growth here. I want to be a role model for others, so many people are invested in me, I want to show others that the only barrier holding you back is yourself. I have truly been supported to achieve my personal and business goals, and the people are what make the difference here. The guidance, time and effort many of my colleagues have afforded me have been fundamental to shaping my journey. We have a culture where leaders are unselfish with their time, they encourage me to ask questions, seek to understand and they are giving with their time.
I know my colleagues want me to do well, they are invested in me, we help each other develop. There are tools, support, programmes and people who all help you to see that the opportunities are endless here. My advice to those considering a career with us, is our people are so special, there is never any judgement, you’re made to feel part of an ambitious community of people who want to make a difference.

I found Greencore on my career search, after having decided university full time wasn’t for me. I was attracted by the flexibility and variety on offer and the wide range of experiences I could take up. I didn’t know what I wanted to do in my career, so being able to try different roles was an ideal way to help me decide.
Since joining on the Degree Apprenticeship Programme, in Commercial I have experienced so many different facets of the function, from starting out in new product development and opening my eyes to the world of food, to shopper marketing and understanding more about consumers, and finally into sales and how we work with customers. It has helped me find my passion, and I am now pursuing a personal and professional passion of social media marketing.
I have been provided lots of development opportunities during my time, our Grow with Greencore offer is excellent, and I have been able to learn through education, experiences, role rotations, through to working with others and learning from them. I have been given lots of opportunities to build my confidence, a highlight was hosting our company annual awards ceremony, as well as getting involved in our group wide I&D catalyst groups and contributing beyond my role.
The aspect that’s helped me grow the most has been the opportunity to take on more responsibility, I have been encouraged and supported through mentorships to take on projects, activities, and get involved, each of these adding to my confidence, experience, and overall ability.
There is just so much on offer here at Greencore, the pace and nature of our work means there is always something you can learn from, and learning and growing is central to our DNA.
As you consider a career with us, it's great for you to know how inclusive we are, Greencore is a place for everyone, and you get to make your career what you want. The support, tools and investment is there for you, if you want to progress you have the choices, opportunities and platform to shine.

I joined Greencore in 2014, initially working in one of our divisions as a commercial controller, and now lead a sales and food team for one of our biggest customers across the group, as a member of the leadership team. I was attracted to Greencore because of the diverse nature of the business meaning it was exciting whilst supplying amazing food across all the multiples.
Over that time,I’ve developed great relationships, been able to realise my potential, and progressed my career through taking up development opportunities. I have been able to grow as the business has. I have also been supported asI expanded my family and juggled the demands that two children and a career bring. I have been able to do this through support, mentorship,encouragement, and flexibility. Our business is fast paced, and we’ve a UK wide footprint, so being able to manage my own time, and balance the demands of work and home is important, and I have been supported in that. As a leader I now provide that for others, andI’m highly invested in the development and progression of those around me.
As I look back on my career, the key milestones/opportunities, that enabled me to step up have been alwaysremaining authentic in my approach and style which are a core part of my values. Building relationships are key to my success, having a great network of friends and support within the business whilst developing strong customer centric relationships is what really motivates me.
Some 10 years later, I am still learning and growing, and have the privilege of enabling others, be that through exposure, project activity, coaching or mentoring, I am encouraged as a leader to help others succeed.It’s a fundamental part of our DNA at Greencore, in factit’s one of our core behaviours, to own your development and invest in others and we’ve a wonderful range of development options available whatever your career focus may be.
As you consider a career with us, my advice is, go for it. It’s the people that make a business and Greencore have the best people in the industry!

I enjoy working at Greencore, it’s provided me so many diverse, and varied experiences over the years, and now as I look back over my career, I can see how taking up opportunities were fundamental steps in the transitions I made. My career has grown beyond what I could have imagined, moving from a site-based role, supporting the leadership team with ensuring compliance to now designing, delivering, and creating learning solutions for the whole group. I asked for development, and others saw my potential, and now I am in my dream role, working to build development and learning solutions that are making a huge difference to our people every day.
I have been supported personally and professionally over that time, encouraged, and enabled to complete my CIPD qualifications, been mentored, coached, provided opportunities for exposure, and experience to lead others. Now I’m in the fortunate place, I can do that for others, and most recently have developed my coaching experience, to become a Greencore coach. Now I am helping others on their career journeys too and developing my own team to achieve their CIPD qualifications.
There is so much opportunity to grow at Greencore, and I have been fortunate to benefit from that, and to undertake a role which gives me flexibility, stretch and challenge, but is hugely supported by my team, manager, and colleagues. I work in an amazing team, who are truly committed to one another.
As you consider a career with us, my advice is set yourself clear goals, and align development opportunities that come your way to them, helping you build skills and confidence. Be adaptable and open to change, don’t be afraid to grasp development opportunities that stretch you and take you out of your comfort zone.

I joined Greencore in 1995, at our Warrington site in a Quality Assurance role, taking responsibility for product quality. I was attracted to the position, as I could see the opportunity to develop and advance my career within the Technical department, and in line with the disciplines I acquired from my Food Sciences Degree. I soon moved into a Process Technologist role, which primarily involved upscaling of new products developed in the kitchen, taking them through factory trials and then to subsequent launch.
3 years later, I transitioned into supplier auditing, which involved a significant level of travel, but also close collaboration with our procurement team. It wasn’t long before I found myself taking another career step, and a move into the Purchasing department; firstly, in a team coordination and support role, then assisting with the set-up of a then newly formed the Indirects’ buying team and before long I became a Buyer.
As I look back, there have been several senior leaders who have advocated for me, seen my potential, and encouraged me to progress and step up. Those line managers and mentors have had a positive impact on my growth, not only by inspiring me to be ambitious and have belief in myself, but also empowering me to take on additional responsibility, whilst being there alongside should I need guidance and support. They were instrumental in the unlocking of my potential, and I am grateful for the role each has played in my career progression, and the confidence I have subsequently built.
I am almost at my 30 years’ service, and one thing that is true during all this time, is that this business is constantly evolving and does not stay the same for long. There are always new challenges which results in plenty of opportunity to both excel and grow your career. I absolutely know that whatever you strive to do or level you want to achieve, Greencore can support you to get there. What has kept me here?; the people, the connections, encouragement and support, all create a culture and environment that I have enjoyed being part of.
As you consider a career with us, my advice is to consider the opportunities to progress that will come your way whilst working in such a diverse and supportive business.

I joined Greencore having spent years working in the food to go industry supplying food service clients, I'd heard a lot about Greencore as a competitor and took the opportunity to move into a bigger business with more opportunity for growth.
I started out in our technical team and having expressed an interest in broader leadership and management, was selected to take part in our programme of development centres. These programmes, help you to understand your strengths, development areas and you receive targeted and meaningful feedback, mentorship, and support to build a development plan to help you reach your career goals. The process was very engaging and the usual feelings of imposter syndrome through change were lessened by the exposure and opportunity to grow, learn, and develop in a structured and supported way. The surrounding leadership team wanted me to do well, and this was evident in the time and investment around me.
For me this involved taking up the invite to embark on a management degree, sponsored by Greencore. In tandem, I started to get more experience in the day to day by moving out of my specialist area and into a broad leadership role. The development, and exposure really made a difference, and before long I was leading a site.
Once I moved into the General Manager role, my development continued, and I now lead a more complex site. I was supported to a different site, whilst staying in my chosen home, and they support me to balance the time and travel commitments.
My learning hasn't stopped there, I'm now part of developing the programme for our next generation of talent! It is so rewarding to be an alumni, able to share my experience, wisdom, and advice to those now taking a similar path. I really believe in this programme, its unique, and is delivering great results. I've also taken part in mentoring, reverse mentoring, and I’m a coach, all opportunities I have been offered to help me be an even better leader. I’m personally not done yet, I'm soon to be embarking on a level 7 qualification.
As you consider a career with us, my advice is to take the opportunity, we have award winning training programmes and multiple opportunities to grow and develop your career. Greencore is a real platform for self-led learning, and they have proven to match my growth and development aspirations as evident in my fast-tracked career development.

I moved to the UK to take up an opportunity at Greencore, having finished my education in Poland, and I haven’t looked back. I’ve now been here for 17 years and built a rewarding and enriching career in my chosen specialist field, Technical.
When I joined the business, I started as a Line Operative, learning the skills needed to manufacture our products, and was then promoted into a Line Coordinator role, so I then started to run the line and support my colleagues. This was a great springboard into my next promotion, and I moved into the quality part of the team.
I had always wanted to make that move, and it was about building the necessary skills and experience, so when an opportunity arose, I had the experience needed. In the Technical team I have worked across many varied roles, as Quality Inspector, Quality Officer and most recently into Technical Manager.
My progression was largely influenced by my colleagues, and it was a Shift Manager who saw my appetite and passion for Technical, and believed I had the potential needed to succeed. They invested time in me and gave me opportunities so I could show them what I could do.
After making the move I grew into the role with the coaching and encouragement of the Technical Controller who really believed that I could succeed. That’s the great thing about Greencore, it’s the people, they really want you to get on, and are willing to back you and help is always available.
My advice, as you consider whether Greencore is a place for you, would be go for it, if you want to develop, or have a vision for where you want to be, then our people will see it. Greencore is a place you can build a strong career, there is so much opportunity.