Greene King is the UK’s largest pub retailer and brewer, with 2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels. Richard O’Brien is the senior property procurement manager, responsible for efficiently sourcing goods such as coffee machines for their many hospitality venues. 

In 2022, the team recruited degree apprentice Rosie Felstead, who is studying the Supply Chain Management degree apprenticeship. We spoke to Richard and Rosie about their experiences. 

Richard O’Brien, senior property procurement manager, Greene King 

How does the apprenticeship work in your team? 

“Rosie works full-time in our team but she can block time out when she needs it to work on her degree. From our side, we’ve tailored her workload towards her degree. She's doing tendering, contract management, and day-to-day procurement strategy initiatives. 

“The university provides me with support in my role as a mentor for Rosie. We have reviews quarterly, looking at how she’s doing and how we can support her.” 

What do degree apprentices like Rosie bring to your business? 

“Youth, and different thought processes. Rosie is very clever and she is learning a lot from studying the degree, and you can see how that comes through from the university and into her work here. She has grown more confident, her networking has gone through the roof, and she’s become a great negotiator. 

“Because of her degree apprenticeship, Rosie has also spent time with different functions across the business. She's been able to link these functions together in a way we wouldn’t have otherwise, and through her connections we’ve been able to form internal synergies.” 

What advantages do degree apprenticeships have over traditional recruitment paths? 

“I believe learning on the job is the way forward. It's the best of both worlds for the apprentice — they get the theory and the practical. And for the business, you're investing in someone personally, which is the right thing to do but also gives you that fresh talent.” 

Would you recommend taking on apprentices to other businesses? 

“Definitely. Working on the job is the best way of learning. You get so much from it. If I had my time again I would have taken the apprenticeship route myself.” 

Rosie Felstead, cost and procurement apprentice 

Why did you choose to take on a degree apprenticeship? 

“I wanted the opportunity to gain real-life experience in a subject and business that I was really interested in. Earning while learning with no student debt made it a clear preference over the other routes that I was exploring, such as full-time university.” 

What do you do in your role at Greene King? 

“I take ownership of the procurement for coffee machines, kitchen flooring and sanitaryware. I am involved in the end-to-end procurement process, including conducting market research, engaging in negotiations, contract management and supplier relationship management.” 

How does your apprenticeship help you in your job? 

“The knowledge I learn at university means I can negotiate confidently with suppliers. Recently I saved £80,000 on a flooring tender. When the suppliers were trying to increase their rates, I was able to use the industry knowledge I learned at university to explain that inflation rates do not justify such an increase.  

“This is one example of many — each module I study at university supports me in my role, which in turn makes me a more valuable employee at Greene King and a stronger member in our team.” 

How has your apprenticeship benefited you personally? 

“Eighteen months ago I could not have pictured how much my skillset and knowledge in this field would have improved and grown. I have developed skills in negotiation and risk management through my learning at university which I use daily in my role at Greene King. 

“It has also impacted me in a positive way in relation to my ambitions and motivation. The degree apprenticeship provides a career path and allows me to work towards obtaining a degree while gaining hands-on experience.  

“I thoroughly enjoy my role and the degree that I am studying, and I’m looking forward to continuing my career in this area.”