I started my apprenticeship many moons ago back in 1997 working for Manchester Truck and Bus at their Kearsley branch in Bolton. In May of 1997, I was invited to move across to new state-of-the-art, purpose-built premises in Trafford Park to continue my fledgling career with a hunger and desire to succeed. Shortly after my move, Manchester Truck and Bus were purchased by Thomas Hardie Commercials Ltd. The evolution of working for a new company instantly opened many challenges, opportunities, and receptiveness to explore new ideas. During this transition I ventured into several different roles, working on the front counter as a customer service representative, as well as assisting the parts department with stock allocation and control, before eventually accepting a position to work in a very busy service administration department as a costing administrator.
After throwing myself into the role and learning the complex systems and processes, I was promoted to a supervisory position in May of 2008 overseeing the administration department. The role came with additional pressures and responsibilities, but it also provided me with an opportunity to showcase my capabilities within an established and progressive company.
The company remained incredibly innovative, and in September 2014 the business re-introduced the role of group service administration manager, and I was fortunate enough to secure the role. The position enabled me to impart my skillset and experiences to a broader range of individuals within an ever-expanding team. We collectively pushed to drive standards, and implement correct processes leading to a career highlight, which resulted in me being invited to present to the Volvo dealer network at Volvo HQ in Warwick, demonstrating how we’d overcome difficult situations and the processes we had initiated to achieve best practice across the dealer network.
Diligence pays off, and this, coupled with a company invested in its people, means development opportunities are never too far away.
In May of 2018, the opportunity to further progress my career presented itself once again, when a position became available for a Group Contracts Manager. Consequently, I was successful in achieving the promotion with the responsibility of increasing our contracts portfolio and the absolute lifeblood of our business.
The 25 years I’ve been employed by Thomas Hardie Commercials Ltd have passed in the blink of an eye. The opportunities to succeed, and the support and respect I have been given by the business cannot be underestimated and have resulted in my continued ongoing development. The culture and passion of our people are key to our success and onward trajectory, which is led from top to bottom. The faith and commitment I observe from the company encourage me to continually strive to be a part of its future success.
