Birmingham Year-in-Industry student launches RB Chemistry Challenge

A student from the University of Birmingham, who is currently on placement at Reckitt Benckiser (RB), has returned to launch the world-leading consumer goods company’s chemistry challenge.

Originally from Nottingham, Heather Jenkins (21) who won the chemistry challenge two years ago has been part of RB’s Airwick Research and Development team based in Hull for the past eight months.  The placement is part of Heather’s four-year MSci, offering her invaluable hands-on industrial experience. 

It is anticipated that around 60 students will work in teams to complete the two-week chemistry challenge at the end of their first year.  Each team will be assigned one of several projects to further improve one of RB’s global brands.

Heather first came across RB when she and her peers took on the chemistry challenge in 2016.  Her winning project involved creating a new format for Vanish, the revolutionary stain removal brand.  After a competitive application process, Heather joined RB as an Airwick Year-in-Industry (YII) student.

“I’ve learnt so much at RB.  You’re given responsibility, with the support you need to develop, right from the start.  As you’d expect, I’ve had the opportunity to carry out laboratory testing, but also to take ownership in the whole product development process – from leading meetings to liaising with third parties and suppliers. These skills will be so useful when applying for jobs in the future, and are perfect to add to my CV.

“As a YII student, you can undertake a project – mine is to develop an analytical method to quantify fragrance degradation.  This something which will add business value and, I hope, will be used at RB long after I return to uni.  

“The chemistry challenge is a brilliant stepping stone towards securing an industrial placement.  If you’re a student considering RB as a place to work, I’d say go for it! The experience and skills you’ll gain are invaluable.”

Bruce Charlesworth, RB Hull site lead said, ““RB Hull is our largest Research and Development site where seven of our biggest brands are continually investigated and improved. Our goal with projects like this and our other links to education is to inspire scientists just like Heather, providing real experience of how science is done in companies like ours.

“It’s a win-win as we get the brains of people like Heather whilst providing genuine experience in one of the world’s biggest consumer focussed organisations. Our Hull ‘World of Inspiring Science’ will continue investing in academic links like this as we want to help develop the next generation of brilliance and show more people what it is we do here.”

Dr John Snaith, Head of Education, School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham added, “We are delighted to continue our partnership with RB for the fourth year of this chemistry challenge.  The idea of the RB Challenge arose from a desire to improve the employability prospects of our students and to demonstrate to them the real-world relevance of the material that they have been studying within core chemistry modules.  Tasking Chemistry undergraduates to work in teams to solve commercially relevant chemical problems helps them to develop the key skills of teamwork, communication, planning and time management that are essential to the world of work.  It is very rewarding to see the Challenge bearing fruit, with students like Heather moving on to successful industry placements and jobs.”