Applegreen |

Why did you choose Applegreen for your internship?

I chose Applegreen for my internship as it offered me a great opportunity in different finance roles within a growing Irish business. Applegreen has extensive experience in the provision of food, fuel and convenience store operations and is spread across the US, UK and Ireland.

It operates over 600 stores and is currently expanding it footprint in the US. Applegreen offered me the opportunity to gain experience in the Mergers & Acquisitions, Tax and Audit departments which will help me along my finance career path.

What have been your favourite moments during your internship?

There have been many highlights to date, Applegreen’s Annual General Meeting, Christmas Party, Corporate Finance Conference and many sport and social events. There is a great corporate culture in the head office that makes work very enjoyable.

What has been your favourite projects you’ve worked on since joining the company?

My favourite project I’ve worked on so far was assisting with the Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) team on portfolio assessments. To date the business has engaged in several corporate M&A transactions and extensive capital investment programmes in the US.

The M&A team analyse and consider implementing capital expenditure programmes that entail developing existing sites and constructing new builds along highways, boosting infrastructure quality, employment and communities’ economies on potential projects.

How do you measure success from this internship?

I measure my success from this internship by my relationships with my mangers, the level of responsibility I’m given and my end of rotation review. So far, I’ve had great working relationships with my co-workers and received excellent feedback from my managers. I am very happy with my progress in Applegreen to date.

Why did you choose Applegreen for your internship

While I was researching various companies to do my internship at, Applegreen really appealed to me. It seemed like a nice, fast paced environment to work in. Being a smaller company, I thought I would gain an invaluable experience as the only HR intern, meaning more responsibility and thorough training, which I can now vouch for.

As well as this, one major thing that stood out to me about Applegreen was its people focused culture and core values. From research, my understanding was that Applegreen put their people first and value them and their progression. I have been here for nearly 6 months and can confidently say that my voice feels heard which is very important to me!

What have been your favourite moments during your internship

Although I have had countless memorable experiences at Applegreen thus far, one stand-out moment for me would have to be the HR trip to Belfast to meet the team from Welcome break. This was a great opportunity to get to know the team in the UK, it also allowed us to bond as a team.

It was great to see how both teams could collaborate more in the future and hear about the projects they are currently working on.

What has been your favourite projects you’ve worked on since joining the company

Luckily since I have joined, I have been part of many exciting projects and tasks. There have been so many learning experiences. I have gained a lot of exposure in the area of compliance and reporting. I have learnt about the insightful results data can produce for a company and how best to analyse them.

As well as this, I have been involved in recruitment processes and have sat in on interviews for various roles. This is one area of HR that I was familiar with before joining and definitely had an interest in getting more exposure to during my time here.

How do you measure success from this internship

As days and weeks passed by, I gradually gained more confidence in my ability to do various tasks and in turn more tasks were delegated to me. Ultimately, when I think about measuring the success from this internship, being handed responsibility of tasks knowing your teammates have full confidence in you completing it to a high standard is definitely one way to measure it for me.

I joined Applegreen in September as the HR intern for the Retail Operations team and in December I was introduced to the Group HR team to gain further exposure, working with them for 2 half days a week. Another way I would measure success would be that the team asked to have me work with them for two full days from February.

Why did you apply for Applegreen?

I chose to apply for the Applegreen Accounting and Finance graduate programme after reading the graduate brochure. I saw what they had to offer really aligned with what I was looking for.

Not only did they offer full exam and tuition sponsorship, but also the opportunity to work in all areas of the business alongside senior executives and have real responsibilities in the day to day running of the business.

What are you favourite parts of the programme?

My favourite parts of the programme are getting valuable hands-on experience, learning new skills, getting a holistic view of the business and meeting new people.

What is the culture like?

The culture at Applegreen is extremely inclusive, we have a very diverse workforce and everyone’s opinions are valued, regardless of your role. Innovation is encouraged and ideas of change for the better are fully supported.

What do other graduates/new starters enjoy when they start working here and what do they find most challenging?

All the graduates enjoy making friends with each other and how welcome you feel straight away. The most challenging, yet rewarding thing is the responsibility you get right away in your role. It gives everyone a chance to grow and show their worth.

How have you found the training and development?

The training and development has been extremely helpful. It has enabled me to drastically improve my skills on Power BI, Excel, SAP etc, also listening to guest speakers and learning from their past experiences and advice is invaluable for graduates.

Why did you apply for Applegreen?

The rotational structure of Applegreen’s graduate programme was one of the main deciding factors for me. As a BComm graduate with a broad business background, Applegreen’s rotations allow for the exploration of various departments. It delivers great business exposure, while providing the opportunity to discover which department within the business best suits my strengths and interests.

What are you favourite parts of the programme?

One of my favourite aspects of the programme is the bond built between the graduates. We have been involved in many team building exercises and have led various projects together. I have found great friendships through this programme.

What is the culture like?

Applegreen has a flat and open culture, providing early exposure to senior management. This was a huge selling point for me as I think this exposure is invaluable to us graduates as we begin our business careers.

What do other graduates/new starters enjoy when they start working here and what do they find most challenging?

I would say new starters enjoy the entrepreneurial spirit of Applegreen. If you have an idea, you are encouraged to share that idea and are given every scope to bring that idea to life if deemed feasible. I would also say that new starters enjoy the positive spirit and rapport among employees. Keeping up with the constant fast-paced environment might be something that new starters struggle with.

How have you found the training and development?

It is clear that great time and effort has been put into our training and development. We have many off-site days where we take part in ‘future leader workshops'.

We have also been given the opportunity to complete two diplomas, including excel and project management. These diplomas are huge in differentiating Applegreen’s graduate training and development from other graduate programmes.

What are the benefits of starting your professional career in the retail industry?

Aside from the wealth of business knowledge, I also believe that there are great interpersonal skills to be learnt from the retail industry. This industry will set us up with the natural ability to get on well with people as we grow our careers in the corporate world.

Retail is the most complicated simple business in the world, and I believe Applegreen is leading the way in the three regions we operate. I applied for the programme in 2021 because I wanted the opportunity to engage in a customer-focused, global rotational framework. Working alongside great people, teams, and brands on both sides of the Atlantic seemed like an incredible opportunity.

What are your favourite parts of the grad programme?

The people! We are a people business, and our entrepreneurial and fast paced culture embodies this. The people at every level of the organisation are responsible for everything we achieve. Learning from world-class retail leaders, fuel economists, traders, marketers, and store teams has been an astonishing opportunity. Whether in Ireland’s Support Office, in-store, or at our American HQ, I feel incredibly fortunate to learn from such a diverse and talented workforce.

What is the culture like at Applegreen/Applegreen USA?

Applegreen’s culture, both in Ireland and the USA, is fantastic. One of our Core Values is “We Value and Develop Our People”, and this sentiment is more than just words – it embodies everything we do. From learning and growth opportunities, sports and social events, and charity and DEI initiatives, Applegreen has a fast and entrepreneurial culture that is consistently striving to develop our teams across each region.

How has your time working in Applegreen USA benefitted your learning and development within the Grad Programme?

Living and working in the United States has been a phenomenal learning experience both personally and professionally. Our US business is in an exciting growth phase, opening travel

plazas throughout New York and New Jersey. We are constantly tasked with challenging opportunities that stretch our capabilities to improve our associate and customer experience. We have a true sense of ownership of our projects, and it’s great to see the intricacies of FMCG and QSR across two continents.

What has been your favourite part of your time in the US?

The vast experiences! From skiing, NBA games, ice hockey at Madison Square Garden, running the Brooklyn Half Marathon, exploring NYC, and much more, living in the USA has provided many pinch me moments.

What tips would you give to anyone considering an international placement?

Go for it! The time truly flies, and it provides amazing opportunities for personal and professional growth. Embrace the experience with an open mind and a willingness to learn and be proactive in seeking out new opportunities. Take advantage of the unique experiences and challenges!