Within the Travis Perkins Group, we give opportunities to anyone willing to work hard. This might be people looking for a career change or looking for a part time job because family circumstances have changed. Whatever stage you’re at in life, it’s never too late to pursue the right career path for you.
Abbey works in one of our branches, replenishing stock, answering customer queries and making sure that there aren’t any empty shelves. Showing a real team spirit, she also sometimes works in the yard as and when needed. Here’s her story about growing in confidence after joining us from a different industry:
‘My colleagues are very friendly and help me out’
Before Abbey started working at Travis Perkins, she went to college to do a beauty course but she found that it wasn’t quite what she was expecting, so she looked for something different. When she heard about an opportunity within our Group, she decided to apply. Abbey admits that she didn’t know what to expect prior to joining our Group, but thought she’d give it a go and hasn't looked back.
‘When I first started, I was a little apprehensive but it isn’t as scary as I initially thought. I feel comfortable working here now, my colleagues are very friendly and help me out.’
Sometimes people have reservations about joining us from out of sector with no previous experience, but we’ve found that career changes have become increasingly common, particularly since the pandemic. At Travis Perkins, as long as you’re willing to put in the work and show your determination, we’ll support you as much as we can along the way.
Comprehensive training gives our employees the best opportunities
At first, Abbey thought it might be difficult to learn the ropes but instead she was able to pick up skills and knowledge quite easily after completing necessary training in the branch. Now that she’s settled in, Abbey says she likes finding out about new products and where stock is located so that she can help customers and build up her knowledge.
In the near future, Abbey hopes to start an admin apprenticeship with Travis Perkins and eventually would like to get a full-time permanent contract with us. Apprenticeships are a great place to start for career changers! In the long term, she says that she isn’t sure about what the future holds but is keeping her options open. Ideally, she wants to get work experience, save money and then decide on her future career path.
‘Everyone is really friendly and helpful’
Abbey feels that the customer experience she has gained has been very valuable and she’s gained confidence doing the job. ‘I was really shy when I started but you can’t be shy here. You get queries all the time and you’ve got to overcome shyness in order to help people and do your job.’ Many of our employees have had similar experiences. Kim, for example, had worked for a retailer for 15 years without having the chance to speak to customers. Now, she’s built relationships with them, and many even know her by name.
Have you considered the benefits of working at Travis Perkins?
We asked Abbey what she’d say to a prospective employee, and she said our family values shine through: ‘Don’t be afraid to work here, it’s not as daunting as you think and you’ll pick it up easily. Everyone is really friendly and helpful too.’ We want to provide our employees with an inclusive environment, more career choices and ultimately create a great place to work which will help drive engagement.
If you’re looking for your next opportunity, and you want to work for an employer who supports you and develops your career, we may have an opportunity for you. Browse our available branch, store and showroom jobs today or sign up to our job alerts so you never miss an opportunity.
