If you are a bilingual with a bachelor’s degree in business or related fields, or if you have a GPA of 3.2 or above, and no more than one year of work experience, then there’s an interesting opportunity awaiting you.
A three-year rotational programme that accelerates careers for selected candidates in positions across the Middle East, the Nestlé Graduate Development Programme has opened its doors for promising candidates. If you meet the above criteria, you can apply for the programme now through March by visiting nestlecareers-me.com or the newly launched LinkedIn page – Nestlé Middle East.
The Nestlé Graduate Development Programme, which has recruited 46 people to successful careers in various fields within the region since 2009, is seeking to fill five new sales and marketing positions in 2016 for which those hired will benefit from condensed training and rotations that propel them into defined functional positions within three years.  
“The Graduate Development Programme is a key tool in our perpetual quest to attract outstanding talent and equip them with all the skills they need to excel in the corporate world,” said Christine Geary, Human Resources Director at Nestlé Middle East, “The Programme is one of the means by which we meet one of our key commitments to society: to Foster Career Opportunities for Youth in the Middle East.”
Applicants will initially undergo online personality and ability assessments. Those who pass will be interviewed, followed by a second online assessment for those shortlisted. The triage continues with personal interviews to determine who gets invited to a two-day assessment in the United Arab Emirates that involves exercises evaluated by Nestlé managers from various functions.
The process concludes with a case study assignment, to be prepared and presented by finalists to a panel of judges. The Graduate Development Programme – which covers Marketing, Sales, Human Resources, Finance and Control, Supply Chain and Technical positions – is part of the global Nestlé Needs YOUth Initiative, which aims to help young people in their transition from education to work, in addition to recruiting and developing the next generation of Nestlé leaders.
A highly sought after programme that sees in excess of 6,000 applications per year, graduates are taken through a 24-month rotational development programme that provides an introduction to the working world of Nestlé, as well as a strong foundation for further development.
Interestingly, Nestlé Middle East has recruited more than 1,700 people under 30 over the past five years, with one third of its current employees falling in this age bracket. The Nestlé Needs YOUth Initiative promotes job creation, in addition to strengthening and developing the skills and employability of young people. It also mobilises companies and non-governmental organisations to unite and further support the youth, through the Alliance for YOUth initiative.
In the Middle East, the initiative is based on the following pillars: career advising, internships, and career training for fresh graduates in countries across the region. This includes initiatives that support the youth through readiness for work events; enhance skills through internships, graduate programmes such as the Graduate Development Programme, and trainee programmes such as the Nestlé Center of Excellence.   
As for Nestlé Middle East’s heritage, it goes back 80 years to 1934 when the first import operation was set up in Lebanon. Today, Nestlé Middle East owns and operates 18 factories and provides direct employment to more than 11,000 people and indirect employment to several thousand more.
The Nestlé portfolio in the region currently exceeds 60 innovative product brands in a wide range of categories: dairy products and infant nutrition, bottled water, chocolate and confectionery, coffee creamers, breakfast cereals, and culinary products, among others.


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