What does a People Advisor – Early Careers do?

I help support and run our Early Careers programmes across Samworth Brothers, this includes Graduates, Higher-Level Apprentices, and Industrial Placement students. I’m involved throughout their whole journey, from onboarding right through to offboarding to make sure they feel supported and get the most out of their time with us.

Day to day, I look after the HR and employee relations side of things, deliver development workshops, and provide pastoral support to ensure everyone has a great experience. My goal is to make sure our programmes offer the right mix of challenge and opportunity, giving our Early Careers colleagues the best possible start to their careers.

How did you end up in this job?

I initially started my career in a general HR role, but during that time, I became involved in an Early Careers network within the business that supported colleagues at the start of their professional journey. I found this incredibly rewarding and became enthusiastic about helping people grow and develop early in their careers. When I began looking for my next challenge, the opportunity to combine my HR experience with a focus on Early Careers really appealed to me; it’s such an exciting and impactful area to be part of.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of pursuing this career?

If you’re looking for a role with real breadth and opportunity, go for it! This career offers incredible variety, from HR and learning and development to community engagement. It’s rewarding, people-focused, and gives you the chance to make a genuine difference in others’ careers.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The variety of the role, I enjoy being involved in a wide range of projects and engaging with different stakeholders across the whole business. It’s also incredibly rewarding to work with our Early Careers colleagues and seeing how quickly they grow and progress, and knowing I’ve helped support the first steps in their careers.

If you could give your 16 year old self some career advice, what would it be?

Focus on what you enjoy. It can feel like there’s a lot of pressure at that age to know exactly what you want to do, but you don’t need to have it all figured out. Spend time exploring your interests, get involved in different opportunities, and focus on building your experience, the rest will naturally fall into place.