High-level management training scheme MDS is looking for new member companies from across the industry as it plans to almost double its number of trainees by 2020.
Speaking at a ‘meet the trainee’ event held in Grantham this week, MDS chair Christine Tacon said she is “turning away graduates” from the scheme, which already sees around 50 applicants per place.
Students come from a varied background, including from degrees in psychology or geography, she said, offering a broad skillset and a highly-motivated work ethic.
“People are always talking about the lack of young people in the industry, and I’m turning them away,” she said. “We need more members. Imagine what having a graduate with a psychology degree from Edinburgh could do for your company.
“We’re looking for new members from across the industry, but particularly in distribution, so we can offer students a full range of placements through the supply chain, including production and retail.”
MDS is also looking for companies that can offer placements throughout winter, as well as summer, Tacon added.
MDS chief operating officer Saffy Connolly said the scheme is aiming to increase its number of students from around 35 to 60 by 2020. To do this, it will require around 50-60 member companies, with around 33 signed up at the moment, she said.
The scheme has recently relaunched its training programme, partnering with IGD and the Cranfield Business Management scheme, and leaving its previous partnership with Harper Adams.
This was designed to offer increased flexibility to the scheme, Connolly said, and allow it to work with leading tutors across the sector.
Current MDS students gave a brief presentation about themselves at the event, which was attended by HR and commercial representatives from leading produce companies such as G’s Fresh, Worldwide Fruit and Greenyard, before an opportunity to network in a ‘speed date’ format.
Graduate Anthony Nisbet, who is currently working as assistant buyer at Aldi, said he had wanted to be a chef, and then a graphic designer, before joining MDS and meeting Aldi’s director of fruit buying at a similar event.
He described his placement at the discounter as “exciting” and on the “frontline”, with responsibility for buying exotics and bananas. He was at the event to look for a role in procurement or commercial, he said.
Fellow student Sophie Ordish said her current placement with British Sugar had involved negotiations and customer-facing responsibilities, and she is now looking for a role in logistics and operations.
