Hi, I’m Ella, a Supply Chain Management Degree Apprentice at Henkel. I joined Henkel in September 2025 to begin a series of rotations across the consumer brands supply chain. Since starting, I have been working in the customer excellence department, where I focus on stakeholder interaction, order management, and service delivery. In year 2 and 3 of my apprenticeship I will be gaining experience in both logistics and demand planning.

From 2021-2023 I studied Art, Psychology, and Sociology in sixth form. I chose these subjects out of genuine interest and curiosity, rather than with a specific career plan in mind, as I was still unsure about what I wanted to do in the future. I will say that truly enjoying my A-Levels motivated me to fully engage in my studies, which in turn helped me to develop soft skills, build a strong portfolio, and achieve high grades.

I was studying at a competitive grammar school, and the pressure was intense. There was a lot of talk about university and very little exposure to the apprenticeship route, and so at the time I never even considered it. I was applying for Graphic Design courses at Russell Group Universities with only a vague plan of going into marketing. On results day, I opened my envelope to see A*A*A, meaning I had secured my place to study Graphic Design and Communication at the University of Leeds. However, I had been having doubts about it all for a while but felt too ashamed to admit it to my friends and family. What should’ve felt like the start of an exciting new chapter, instead felt like a huge wave of uncertainty.

Once I had settled into university, I quickly realised my course wasn’t at all how I imagined it to be. I couldn’t see myself completing a programme I didn’t enjoy, and so I made the decision to withdraw from my studies. I was fortunate enough to go straight back to my retail job, where I planned to stay until the following September having accepted an offer from Leeds to study psychology; a subject I enjoyed and one that would support my goal of working in marketing.

After many months of doubt, I realised I was only returning to university because I wasn’t fully aware of the alternatives. I hadn’t really considered the future at all; I had just followed the crowd and picked a course for the sake of it.

I wanted higher education, but I also enjoyed working, and so I started to take the idea of apprenticeships seriously. With a solid foundation in customer service and retail, alongside an interest in marketing, I began researching available opportunities. I found marketing was already highly saturated and so I decided to look outside the box. That’s when I found supply chain, something I had never heard of in school. It combined everything I was looking for; customisation, strategic planning, relationship management, continuous improvement, and aligning operations with business goals.

By then, I had already missed the application window for roles starting in September 2024, and I was gutted. I knew the next year would consist of applications during my part time job. In late 2024 and early 2025, I began applying for Supply Chain Degree Apprenticeships. These roles were scarce, competitive, and required multiple stages of interviews, so every time I received an email starting with ‘unfortunately’ it felt like a massive step back.

By mid June 2025, over a year and a half since I dropped out of university, I had pretty much accepted I wasn’t going to be starting an apprenticeship in September. That’s when I checked Henkel’s website, a company I had been unsuccessful with the year prior for a marketing apprentice role, however this time there was a vacancy for a Supply Chain Degree Apprenticeship. It felt like fate. I immediately sent off my application and hoped this would be the one. The week after, I received an invite to a one-way interview, and the next week a virtual interview, and by mid July I was invited to the office.

I remember being at work a few days after my final interview and checking my phone on my break to see a voicemail had been left: “Hi Ella, I’m calling to share some good news”. Everything felt like it was clicking into place. I had finally secured myself a degree apprenticeship in Supply Chain at an amazing company, and I couldn’t wait to start.

It’s now been six months since I started my Degree Apprenticeship with Henkel, and the experience has been incredibly rewarding. Over this time, I’ve gained a much deeper understanding of supply chain operations from order management to customer relations, and how to coordinate with different teams to ensure the chain runs smoothly. My confidence has grown when interacting with customers and stakeholders, whether that be through dealing with queries, managing expectations, or working through challenges.

On the university side of my apprenticeship, I have been studying at MK:U, an innovation hub partnered with Cranfield University. I achieved an overall grade of 2:1 in my first module ‘Managing in the Digital World’, and I am now studying ‘Global Supply Chain Management’. So far, my studies have really complemented my role in industry. Being able to apply academic concepts and supply chain theory to my practical work has helped me understand the reasoning behind operational decisions and to approach challenges with a more strategic mindset.

If you’re currently deciding where to take your career, I’d strongly encourage you to consider an apprenticeship. Gaining hands on experience whilst earning a degree is incredibly rewarding both professionally and personally. I am so glad that I took the opportunity and didn’t give up even after all the rejections I received.

My advice for those who are applying to apprenticeships would be the following:

1.     Have RESILIENCE

Never take rejection personally. This is easier said than done but you can use feedback to identify where to strengthen yourself for future applications. Remember that apprenticeships are not as readily available as university courses or entry level roles, and so they are more competitive and selective. This is why constructive criticism is so valuable in helping you reach your full potential.

2.     Be YOU

Technical or ‘hard’ skills can be taught, ‘soft’ skills can’t. Showcase your personality, your attitude, how you approach tasks, and how you collaborate with others. Your interpersonal skills are what make you YOU; employers want to know who you are and who you can be, not just what you’re capable of.

3.     Apply your TRANSFERABLE skills

Highlight key areas of the industry you want to work in and align them with knowledge or experience you already have. This shows employers what skills you have already developed, and how you can apply them in a different environment. For example, I used my achievements in sociology to showcase my ability to understand others and communicate well, key skills for relationship management in supply chain. I also explained how my attention to detail which I developed through design helps me identify patterns and spot flaws, which is vital for risk management and data analysis.

4.     BUILD yourself

The market is tough, it’s not going to be easy, but you can build yourself to make it easier. Take advantage of any opportunities you can, whether that be work experience, completing short courses, LinkedIn learning, or reaching out to those alike who can act as a support system. Before sending off an application, make sure you fully understand what you are applying for, and if you can see yourself in that role. Most importantly, it matters that you are in a role that you love.

Ella O'Dell

Supply Chain Management Degree Apprentice | BSc at Cranfield University | Schwarzkopf Beauty Care at Henkel

You can find out more and connect with Ella on LinkedIn.