Case Study 1
Samantha Southam
Sam Southam was looking for an opportunity to gain some business experience while studying for a BA (Hons) Business Studies - CIPD degree at university. She successfully applied for a placement in the HR department of UB’s Manchester factory and started in August 2005.
During the placement she learned the skills necessary to co-ordinate the recruitment process for the production areas including SHL testing. As well as getting involved in training, she also chose Positive Management Attendance as an area to research for the company for her degree dissertation. Sam’s involvement in the community included participating in Skills City which provides information about the company to school leavers.
Sam says: “The placement really helped me grow in confidence as I become more comfortable with speaking to lots of different people and contributing in meetings. It also helped me with my degree as I had some practical knowledge of how theory is applied in business.”
After graduating, Sam was asked back to the factory to take up a role as an HR Co-ordinator. Since then she has been very proactive in getting involved with new projects and has taken every opportunity to learn. Within a short period of time, she developed the skills needed for many operational HR responsibilities. She is now the only HR advisor in the department, offering advice on matter such as disciplinary and grievance.
On the career routes available in UB Sam says: “As well as receiving several opportunities myself, I have also seen that there is continual development available for people throughout the different functions of the factory. There is a real emphasis on training and development with many courses being run throughout the year.”
Sam is particularly interested in how HR can help people manage change as the food and drink industry moves forward. In the future she would like to develop her HR knowledge and venture into a management position to enable her own personal development and be a part of the continuous improvement plan that the company is implementing.