As a way to develop future innovators and business leaders, the Avery Dennison internship program and Early Career Program (ECP) have proved to be notable successes. They have given talented and ambitious people broad experience across different functions, new expertise in key areas, and the mentorship needed to establish solid career foundations. But what is it like to experience this in Avery Dennison? How does it feel on day one, and what kind of experiences can entrants expect as time goes on? The interviews below give some insights into life at Avery Dennison.
Hidde van der Horst came to Avery Dennison in September 2018, as an intern, while working on his thesis on polymers. Following graduation, he applied for the Early Career Program (ECP) and has worked in different areas of the firm – innovation, R&D and marketing.
Why were you interested in R&D and what made you choose the Avery Dennison ECP?
Hidde: I liked the research being done by Avery Dennison on polymers, and coming back here was an easy choice after my internship – I knew that the culture here is very helpful and open, and I knew I would have opportunities to do interesting and useful work.
How have you experienced the culture at Avery Dennison?
Hidde: In some ways, R&D can be a self-contained world, although it is obviously directly linked to what the company is working on. We are a very close team, and there are always experienced specialists on hand to give advice and support. The environment is all very open, with lots of sharing. Training on soft skills has been good, especially with regard to longer-term career development.
What advice can you offer to others?
Hidde: I would say that people should look at Avery Dennison as a career destination – it’s an open and honest place and a great place to work.
Read Hidde’s full interview on LinkedIn
Johanna Blanchard has been with the company for seven years since joining the ECP program, and is now the plant logistic manager in Soignies. Her first experience at Avery Dennison was as an intern.
What was your first experience at Avery Dennison like?
Johanna: It was a huge change for me – not least relocating to Germany without being able to speak German. This was in East Germany, and there were no easy transport links to see existing friends. Very few people spoke English outside of the workplace, and I was faced with the double challenge of learning a new language while getting up to speed with the basics of managing a supply chain. All of that was very demanding, but I like responding to that and I also loved the work and the location. I was also soon making new friends – my personal life is very important to me as well as work.
What do you see as the biggest personal benefit of your work so far?
Johanna: Current and previous colleagues are the highlight. You make very good friends here, and I still see ex-colleagues socially. This job has also helped me to grow. I started on day one as a shy intern who knew nothing about the job, and now I’m managing a very efficient team.
What advice can you offer to others?
Joanna: Focus on the job when you start, not personal career goals that you can’t justify until you know more. If you’re motivated and flexible, anything is possible.
Read Johanna’s full interview on LinkedIn
Since joining Avery Dennison as an intern in 2017, Pierre Goedert has become a production coordinator at the Rodange plant in France. He has gained experience around Europe at different production sites.
What made you choose the Avery Dennison ECP?
Pierre: ECP was a good choice for me because I wanted to travel around Europe and Avery Dennison gave me that opportunity by traveling to their different sites. I also wanted to see what sort of job I wanted, at school I wasn’t 100% sure. With the ECP you experience different positions with short projects, and it’s a chance to build on the responsibilities given to you during internship.
What is your greatest achievement in the company so far?
Pierre: How we have all dealt with COVID really stands out, especially at the start of the pandemic. My team and I have navigated through the challenges in the best way possible. Above all, that means ensuring a safe working environment, while maintaining business continuity.
What advice can you offer to others?
Pierre: Find a job that fits you personally. Don't have fixed preconceptions about what you want. Instead, experience different things so you can understand what you want to do and where you want to do it.
Read Pierre’s full interview on LinkedIn
Carla Perroni joined Avery Dennison as an intern in September 2020, and the relationship that developed was so successful that she became a part-time employee while still working on her thesis.
What made you choose an Avery Dennison internship?
Carla: I was looking for the right placement when COVID came along. Everything was very uncertain. I found Avery Dennison on the web, and applied because I particularly wanted B2B experience. It didn’t strike me at first as a sexy industry, but I didn’t rule it out either (I had already applied for the Olympic Committee too, but one door closes and another opens!)
I’m not studying communications, but after I interviewed with the hiring manager, it looked like the best opportunity among others offered to me. It seemed new and interesting.
What were your first two weeks like?
Carla: The welcoming feeling at the start was great, and I somehow felt part of the company from the beginning. I was able to go into the offices at first, but because of COVID, I only had the opportunity to visit six times. It was a big space, and I felt empowered straight away, even as an intern. I was home a lot for the first two weeks, which was hard, and I had to learn to use Google Drive. There were lots of onboarding and Google Hangout calls, which was more challenging than in-person meetings, but it was great to ‘e-meet’ everyone and I was amazed at how nice everybody was.
What advice can you offer to others?
Carla: I would first say, get on board with any type of project/task presented when you start as an intern or if you are new. Don’t be picky and plan everything! Without good planning you can’t execute anything. I’m sure I’ll have more advice to give in a couple of years.
Read Carla’s full interview on LinkedIn
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