Whether you are a Commerce or Technical Graduate, Fonterra’s Graduate Programmes offer an opportunity to have a range of diverse experiences before you settle on a particular role that suits you best. This gives Fonterra Graduates the chance to find out how your specific skills and quality fare in the real world, and discover which roles you will find satisfying.
Fonterra Graduate Commerce Programme
The Fonterra Graduate Commerce Programme is designed to build Fonterra’s talent pipeline by developing future leaders.
The FGCP provides an intensive, continuous programme over two years offering a multitude of experiences by way of rotations through different businesses to equip graduates with the necessary skills and knowledge needed for an accelerated start to their careers in Fonterra. We do this by providing stretching, challenging roles with real decision making responsibility, providing exposure to a range of developmental and learning experiences while continuously developing functional/technical competence.
Fonterra Graduate Technical Programme (Engineers and Food Technology/Science)
The Fonterra Technical Graduate Programme gives graduates a broad overview of Fonterra and all the technical aspects that go with the business. The first 12 months includes an induction, practical work at a dairy plant and an integrated course at the Fonterra Research Centre (based in Palmerston North), the largest dairy research centre in the world. The second year further develops our graduates skills and expertise through rotations through the business or placements.
Launched in 1969, the Fonterra Graduate Technical Programme (FGTP) is an intensive, induction course that equips Science, Technology and Engineering Graduates with the skills and knowledge for an accelerated start to their careers. The aim is to develop graduates with the potential to become technical leaders and managers in Fonterra.
The FGTP gives an excellent broad overview of Fonterra where graduates gain a good insight into the structure and function of all technical aspects of Fonterra including making contacts with people in diverse areas of the industry that will be of great benefit in building your career. You will also have the opportunity to attain a Masters in Food Science as part of programme.
The FGTP year begins in December with a three-week induction course held at Fonterra Research Centre (FRC) in Palmerston North. During the summer, you will be immersed in dairy with practical work experience at a Fonterra dairy plant -- working shifts in a process operator role. Over the winter, you will be based back at the FRC for a 10 week integrated course of lectures, tutorials, practical work, exercises and projects covering business units, dairy science, technology and engineering, operational excellence, and the technology, science, product development and marketing of dairy products. You then return to a Fonterra site and have the option to complete an individual research project.
We are a NZ co-operative who exist to secure the prosperity for the future NZ by bringing dairy goodness to the world. Our dairy know-how and expertise is built on generations of knowledge, expertise and passion. We are committed to sustainable dairying and the communities where we operate. Are you ready for Fonterra?
Accounting & Finance Graduate Programme
We realise you may not yet have decided on an area of speciality within accounting or finance, so the Fonterra Commerce Graduate Programme will provide you with exposure to a wide variety of roles through four or more rotations over a two year period. As an NZICA approved training organisation, our programme provides a strong support structure including study groups, mentors and financial support that will ensure you meet NZICA requirements (Foundations, PAS and PCE2).
Qualifications
Fonterra accounting graduates need high numeracy skills, strong communication skills and the ability to succeed in a fast paced environment – you’ll be able to analyse quickly and interpret information for our business. We also prefer graduates with a conjoint degree or research and project papers that show you have a general economic understanding of the world.
Ideally we employ graduates who couple their studies with extra-curricular activities that demonstrate ambition to perform at a high level, lead others and achieve results. Additional language skills, preferably Mandarin would be an advantage for a number of our roles.
You will be rewarded with an attractive salary, an annual incentive based on your performance as well as that of the business and opportunities for promotion when you are ready to take that next step.
We have opportunities in the Auckland, the Waikato and Palmerston North, though to get the most out of your career with Fonterra, it is an advantage that you are mobile.
If you have a positive attitude, willingness to learn and are a real team player, give your career the best start!
We are a NZ co-operative who exist to secure the prosperity for the future NZ by bringing dairy goodness to the world. Our dairy know-how and expertise is built on generations of knowledge, expertise and passion. We are committed to sustainable dairying and the communities where we operate. Are you ready for Fonterra?
Business Graduate Programme
As a business graduate you will be working in a fast paced environment using your interpersonal skills to navigate in a dynamic and changing business environment. You will be a problem solver; able to look at the big picture and provide concise analysis and feedback on a variety of scenarios. As such, you will be highly logical as well as being confident in presenting your findings to internal and external groups.
Qualifications
A degree in commerce is essential – preferably with majors in finance, management, economics or international business. Any research or project papers that involve internships or research within a business would be an advantage. A conjoint science degree would also be viewed highly favourably given the innovative and technical nature of some of our business areas.
Ideally we employ graduates who couple their studies with extra-curricular activities that demonstrate ambition to perform at a high level, lead others and achieve results.
You will be rewarded with an attractive salary, an annual incentive based on your performance as well as that of the business and opportunities for promotion when you are ready to take that next step.
We have opportunities in central Auckland, though to get the most out of your career with Fonterra, it is an advantage that you are mobile.
If you have a positive attitude, willingness to learn and are a real team player, give your career the best start!
Georgina Black
Management Accountant Edendale
Bachelor of Commerce, Diploma for Graduates University of Otago
Leaving Otago University at the end of 2005 after four years of study, I was keen to start my new job as a Finance graduate on Fonterra's Graduate Programme.
Not knowing where I might be placed for my first six months, I was pleased to hear I would be located at Edendale, one of Fonterra's southern most sites and only ten minutes from where I had grown up on my family's dairy farm.
I started my first of four six month rotations as a member of the Group Operations Finance team working in a team of Management Accountants.Initially it was a big surprise as to how much the accounting staff on the sites had to know other than just the numbers. Having to know how cheese or milk powder (or any of a variety of products) was manufactured was all part of being a financial support to the site. Production from milk was a lot more complicated than I had originally thought.
After 5 months based at Edendale, I was offered a permanent position as a Management Accountant, however at the same time I was told my next six month placement was to be in Melbourne. After much consideration I decided to exit the graduate programme and continue on at Edendale.
As a Management Accountant some of the things I have been involved in are annual budgets, monthly financial reporting, and product costing which involves working out how much it costs to make a tonne of product at a specific site. I have also visited a number of other sites including the most northern site at Kauri and in a week I am off to Takaka at the top of the South Island for some training.
One of the bonuses of having been a part of the Graduate Programme was that I was paired up with a Mentor from a different area within Fonterra. I have found this relationship extremely valuable and am still in contact with him once every couple of months. It is great to have support from someone who is based in a totally different area and can give a different perspective on issues.
The Fonterra Graduate Programme is a great step in the right direction. It is a good way to be exposed to various areas within Fonterra and if an opportunity presents itself then the support is there to pursue it.
