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.
What We Look For - New Zealand Graduates
We are looking for talented people who are passionate, innovative and possess a "can do" attitude to help us lead the way in dairy. The following competencies will give you a hint of what we look for in a potential leader:
FOOD TECHNOLOGY/SCIENCE GRADUATES
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?
Launched in 1969, the Fonterra Graduate Technical Programme (FGTP) give graduates 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.
Graduates that join the FGTP will be sponsored by a business unit right from the start of the program, so it is important you indicate your interest in your preferred area in your application.
Working in Product and Process Technology within Fonterra you will gain maximum exposure to our cutting edge technology. You will either focus on commercialising new products and provide global support for new plants and processes, or provide technical support to the NZ manufacturing plants, and the commercialisation of new processes.
Graduates working as part of our Innovation team of recognised experts will be developing dairy ingredients and will enjoy applying chemistry and food physics in the design and modification of dairy components (particularly protein & lactose).
In Fleet and Asset Engineering you will be working with the maintenance and operating staff in Fleet Services to solve real issues. Inquisitive and happy to get your hands dirty sometimes, you will ideally be a Mechanical or even Electrical Engineer or studying Manufacturing and Industrial Technology and who like to investigate how things fail, analyse causes and work with teams to put solutions in place.
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.
FGTP will commence on 26 November 2012 so you MUST have completed your studies and be available to start on this date.
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 Waikato, Bay of Plenty or Taranaki though you will be based in Palmerston North for inductions and the Winter Course. 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!
Lucy Wu University of Auckland (BSc Hons Food Science)
I was in the Fonterra Graduate Technical Programme (FGTP) in 2006 located in Te Rapa (Powders & Cream products), Hautapu (Protein & Cheese), Palmerston North, and Takanini. During the programme, I learnt about the industry as a whole, as well as the manufacturing processes.
Having completed a Bachelor of Science with Honours (1st class) degree from the University of Auckland majoring in Food Science, the FGTP was like no other… when else would you get to stand inside a milk powder drier?
The aspects of the FGTP that attracted me the most were meeting new people and the opportunities that follows. I was excited about applying what I have learnt in university to the workplace; the programme was a great bridge between gaining knowledge and applying that knowledge in the real world. The fact that the programme came with a Master's degree was a bonus.
After the FGTP, I joined S&OP (now OTS) as a product mix analyst in my hometown Auckland, incorporating the technical knowledge and skills gained in the programme with dollar signs. Then I moved onto a more commercial role as Strategist in Commercial Forecasting & Strategy. In this role I looked at international market dynamics, developing trends in key markets, customer relationships etc. to formulate portfolio strategies for each of our key product groups.
An amazing opportunity was then offered to me to come up to the rapidly growing market of China and manage a few projects from the Shanghai office. Moving from Fonterra's central operation to one of the markets was an eye-opener. I've now been in China for over a year and been involved in customer facing meetings, business partnership discussions, travelled up and down the country and even patted a newborn calf! As a Business Development Manager I look after a number of projects for the Foodservices sector of Fonterra's China business -- living and working in the fast-paced city of Shanghai.
Jacqueline Murfitt Massey Univeristy (Btech Food Tech)
Jacqui graduated from Massey University, Palmerston North, with a BTech (Food Technology) with first class Honours and a Massey Scholar. She joined Fonterra in the Fonterra Graduate Technical Programme in 2008.
FGTP put me in an excellent position to further my career at Fonterra and allowed me to experience a variety of aspects within the business.
I finished the programme at the end of 2009 and went on to work in a technical team looking at infant formulas and growing up milk powders. This allowed me to work with customers to develop and formulate new products. I also dealt with the plant frequently on the technical aspects of project work. Working with everyone from business account managers in markets to plant managers during trial productions gave me great experience and exposure to multiple parts of the organisation.
Currently I am on a secondment into OTS, working on in a more commercial space in Auckland. I'm learning how the planning side of the business for powder products work, how Fonterra decides which products to turn the milk into and doing project work for powder strategy.
I believe Fonterra is a really good place to start a career, I’ve had exposure to so many different areas in one of New Zealand's largest companies. The greatest aspect of working at Fonterra is that you are not signing up for one job; there are so many opportunities to move and you really get the chance to find your niche and where you fit best.
