Cherri Chan is a Packaging Developer for Magnum Ice Cream at Unilever UK & Ireland. She is currently studying on our BSc (Honours) Packaging Professional degree apprenticeship programme - the first degree apprenticeship of its kind in the UK.

In 2021, Cherri was announced as Apprentice of the Year by the Food and Drink Federation for her rapidly developing expertise, alongside pioneering the Packaging Apprenticeship programme within Unilever and sharing her passion and insight into her work via Unilever's school outreach programme.

“I have learnt a lot of skills that are supporting me through my career.”

“I chose to do a degree apprenticeship because I wanted to gain industry experience and learn from experts, without having the burden of full-time education and university debt. The apprenticeship has allowed me to put my skills into practice and see real time progress.

“I work at Unilever as a packaging developer for Magnum ice cream. I’m involved in implementing innovation projects, driving our sustainability agenda, and leading cost saving activities. My job allows me to have a mix of both practical lab work (testing materials and prototyping) and desk-based work (collaborating with other global functions of the business).

“My personal aspirations are to build my knowledge and skills to become a packaging expert and contribute to having a positive impact on the environment.

“During my apprenticeship, I have learnt a lot of skills that have benefitted me within the workplace. For example, developing ways to communicate effectively to different types of stakeholders, project management and reflective practice - these abilities are supporting me through my career and has helped to build my skillset. Learning about the industry I work in has made me motivated to find out more about the topic and apply this knowledge to my work.

“Joining an industry I knew very little about was daunting, as the environment is very different compared to school. In the beginning, I was a shy and quiet person however, the apprenticeship has helped me become a more confident person and not doubt myself as much.

“Usually after A-levels, people go down the traditional route of university but gaining industry and life experience has become a large part of my personal and professional growth. I highly recommend doing an apprenticeship to anyone who is eager to learn and get new experiences in a subject they are interested in. 

“I have taken part in promoting Unilever degree apprenticeships by participating in post -18 school events (pre-covid) and virtual careers fairs. At these events, I talk about what I do on a day-to-day basis, why I chose to do an apprenticeship instead of going to university and share my experience of transitioning from a school environment to a workplace.

“I recently won Food and Drink Federation: Apprentice of the Year 2021! I feel proud to represent packaging and I hope to inspire others to seek new opportunities beyond going to university full time.”