Career Prospects at Fonterra

Very large company with plenty of opportunity within NZ, fast track path through career for graduates, an expectation to move roles every 2 years early in career and an expectation to move up the ranks

Fonterra is in a digital transformational stage at then moment with projects expected to be around completion during the period where I will complete the grad program which could be an issue. Also as Fonterra are always restructuring, this could b difficult. There are lots of avenues you can go down at fonterra however.

There are lots of great opportunities and we are well supported to find roles and develop our career however we want to.

As grads, we have a great launching pad and opportunities to get out into the business, but our manager gets final say on where we can go. Unfortunately, she has everyone mentally put into a little box and any attempt to find work or projects in a new space is counteracted, sometimes along with a lecture on how we need to be more open minded.

As a graduate we have a specified range of jobs we can move into right off the program and the program managers do their best to ensure there is a role that suits everyone. After first roles we are well supported to find new roles and there is ample opportunity to move around within the business. With a broad enough base of knowledge and experience its can be relatively easy to climb the ranks but starting as a graduate certainly helps. Fonterra is engaged in their employees success and do their best to support people moving into new roles even if they do not yet have the required skill set, training and support are offered.

Coming of the grad program there is an hope and expectation that you will eventually make your way to middle and upper management. This mean we are encouraged to most laterally across the company a lot in our early year to gain a lot of experience before moving vertically. There are, however, most limited opportunities to do more technical engineering work, particularly from an engineering field of anything other than food or process engineering.

No promotion opportunities on the grad program but there seems to be pretty good opportunities rolling off the program. As long as you show you're a hard working and willing to learn and can make good connections I don't think there would be any issues getting a role off the program.

Lateral movements are the best options to move up the food chain. Aim to move roles every 18 - 24 months during early career

Are some opportunities to move up ranks, but some desired roles require requirements, such as a master's to become an associate researcher or a PhD to become a senior researcher etc

Get out what you put in. opportunities for working across international markets.

The whole program feels centered around this - lots of opportunities.

Good guidance and support, however finding appropriate opportunities in Farm Source has been a little challenging so far. I have confidence my manager will help me find the right role in time

FGTP programme

I think its a bit too early to discuss promotion and career progression, but there seems like good pathways in the second year to build that. Only thing is around how to find the right roles to apply and discern the "right" role and the right role in hindsight.

Its a large company with a lot of opportunity to move up internally

Take's a lot to stand out I think - it's hard to show what you are doing/achieving sometimes as you are just at your desk all day.

Very easy to move up if you deserve it

I am unsure exactly of what they are and I have not had any support in making my own development plan. Because of the restructure, I am not too sure what roles will be available once I leave the programme, nor do I fully understand what I will be doing in 5-6 years time. I do also understand that some of this is also something I am meant to find out by myself in my own time though.

So many roles within the company. I have been shown many opportunities across the company and been encouraged to apply.

I don't really know - I think probability wise it is unlikely for anyone to end up in a really senior position but you will most likely be promoted to middle management. I do think a part of it is going to be how well you can advertise yourself to get into certain positions. And ideally you would need to have shown good performance in your previous roles.