Why should I apply for the European Graduate Program?
Our 2-year rotational European Graduate Program is our long-term commitment to supporting talents in the early stages of their professional careers - and this is why we do everything we can to help you grow! As an Associate within this program, you are given responsibility and exposure from day one. You will have the opportunity to put your skills into practice and work on challenging, multi-faceted assignments within your area of expertise. Through your rotations, you will see different aspects of the business and get plenty of networking opportunities across countries, functions and all levels of the business.
While you are on this exciting journey, you will receive plenty of support along the way. Our Mentoring Program, combined with a concentrated blend of experiential on-the-job learning, classroom and virtual training, will enable you to build your skills and transition from college to the corporate workplace, leveraging strengths and defining your career path.
What are you looking for in a candidate for the program?
We are looking for agile problem-solvers who enjoy working in a dynamic and collaborative environment and who are striving to make a difference by contributing their own strengths and ideas. Applying for the European Graduate Program means going all out for an exciting and multi-faceted opportunity that offers new challenges each day. Your curiosity and can-do-attitude will help you to succeed!
What should I do if I am interested in several streams of the program? Should I apply for each stream separately?
During the application process, you will have the opportunity to indicate that you are also interested in other streams. Alternatively, you can also indicate this in a message to the recruitment team. The recruitment team will then also consider you for those other streams. Therefore, we kindly ask you to submit only one application for the stream you are most interested in.
What are the training offerings during the program?
Over the course of the 2-year program, we offer you a consistent, structured training calendar. Our training follows the 70-20-10 model. 70% of your training will be experiential, meaning that it will be hands-on or on-the-job training. 20% of your training will be through social learning, such as through mentoring and feedback. The remaining 10% will be acquired through formal education. Every quarter, you will receive a training session focused on either Leadership Development skills or Functional Training. These will help you to develop the skills and confidence to ask the questions that create new opportunities, spark innovation or redefine what is possible.
What happens after the associates graduate from the program?
We are committed to your career long-term. Having successfully completed your rotations, you will celebrate your graduation from the program. During your last rotation, we will help you find your first permanent role, balancing your talents and specialism with our organizational needs. These opportunities won’t fall into your lap; you’ll have to work for them, but that’s normal, isn’t it? We evaluate the performance of everyone in Avery Dennison on a regular basis. So after you’ve started with us with a competitive salary and benefits, if you perform well, we’ll ensure that you are rewarded for it.
How do the rotations work? Do I get a set rotational schedule, or will I be able to influence my assignments?
The 24-month program is split into two 12-month rotations. As there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to development and business needs might change over time, we do not set up a fixed schedule for the whole duration of the program before you start. Once you receive an offer for a position in the program, we will share details about your first rotation with you. The next assignment is then discussed and defined together with you around 4-5 months before moving to the second rotation. The rotations will be determined based on development opportunities as well as business needs.
Our sites are located all across Europe, but most of the assignments during the program take place in our sites in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and the UK. For our Operations and Supply Chain streams, you will have to be willing to relocate, and you will have a high likelihood to be relocated. For our Commercial, Sales, and Research & Development streams, you must be open to relocation, and the likelihood of your relocation will depend on business needs. For our Finance stream, at this time, you will not be asked to relocate during your 24-month program.
