Project Description
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with over 30,000 employees worldwide. In Fife, it has an impressive track record in developing young talent and building connections with local partners and projects to engage in a myriad of employability activities for young people.
As a business, Diageo has always taken on apprentices and has an established programme which encompasses four different kinds of apprenticeship at the Modern Apprenticeship level, over four years: operators, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers and instrument technicians. This programme allows a mix of college attendance and work-based learning. With a clear focus on attracting and retaining the very best talent, Diageo also has a Graduate Programme with graduates splitting their time across different Diageo sites and experiencing a variety of departments and leadership roles over a three-year development programme.
With its well-known motto, ‘character is everything’, Diageo is a business which focuses on people and getting the right talent into the business, knowing that technical skills can always be taught to those willing to learn. This message is testament to the progressive approach of the business.
Of course, there are many other routes into employment at Diageo, through applying for vacancies or through temporary roles, for example. The team in Fife is keen to ensure that there are no restrictions on routes into the business, for those who show the right attitude or aptitude.
Rhoda Gabellone, Capability Manager at Diageo in Fife said,
“Diageo in Fife has been involved with local school, Levenmouth Academy, for many years through business insights programmes which were in place even before DYW. This involved giving job profiles to sixth year students, mock interviews and site visits to give an experience of the world of work. More recently, we were also involved with Career Ready, which gave us further links into more schools in Fife. We offer mentors which are matched to pupils in schools, which not only offers development for the pupils, but importantly, it’s a route to develop our own staff too.”
“We’ve found that, through DYW and the many other partnerships, educational organisations and programmes which are working to give opportunities to young people (including SDS, Fife College and Career Ready), the opportunity for our business is just as important as the opportunity for the young people themselves. For example, our involvement in STEM activities at primary and secondary schools allowed us to bring our apprentices along to present to the pupils. This meant that students were able to connect directly with the young people who were already in our apprenticeship programme and see themselves in the role. It also enabled a great learning opportunity for our apprentices.”
In 2020, Diageo in Fife engaged with the DYW Scotland Skills Academy Programme and brought a team of volunteers from the business to match with young people, review their CV’s, take part in mock interviews and give constructive feedback to help them improve their skills.
Rhoda explained,
“This was very much seen as an opportunity to develop our own employees, as well as showcase careers at Diageo and connect with young local talent. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, The Skills Academy was a fantastic project by DYW Scotland. You never know, any of those young people could be a potential employee of the future.
“Diageo is always looking ahead and thinking long-term in its recruitment and talent development strategies and our talent engagement team is always looking for new ways to push those boundaries even further. It’s also great for connecting with local communities. As a global business, we know that connections to local communities can be incredibly powerful – supporting DYW in our local area in Fife has been a fantastic way to help our business grow and keep the pipeline of local talent flowing.”