Could you please give me a bit of an introduction to yourself and also your experience here?
So, my name is Amy, I am twenty-one and I’ve been here for nearly a year. I started in the mezzanine warehouse upstairs and have since come down to the GMP. I applied internally for the change, which was a bit of a promotion, and it offered me more training opportunities.
Speaking of training, I have been told you’re an athlete. Can you tell me about that?
Yes that’s right, I play soccer. I’ve been playing since I was three with many different teams. Currently, I play club soccer with my local team and I’m also on the Limerick team, which is kind of like the county team. I previously had trials for Ireland and trained in a few academies in England, so soccer is a massive part of my life.
Did the company know you were an athlete when you joined or when you interviewed?
I had it on my CV that I played soccer, but I didn’t emphasize how important it was. It was only through conversations after joining that my colleagues realized how big soccer is for me.
So you sort of kept it to yourself, or you just didn’t want to make a big deal of it?
I just didn’t think it was something that important for my CV. One of the managers, who saw my CV before hiring me, asked about soccer, and I told him a few things. He suggested I should put more about it on my CV as it’s valuable information.
Would you say that anything from your sport, or any of the discipline that you’ve had to have for it, is transferable to this job?
I think teamwork is probably the biggest part. In our work, we constantly need to check in with others and work together as a team to get things done. Being in a team environment since I was young has helped me in my job. Also, the respect and fair play in sport translates over to work life as well.
Would you say that your colleagues are supportive of it? Do they ask you about it?
Oh yes, they’re always asking about it. Only this morning, they were asking me how my match went at the weekend. They’re all really interested in sport and ask me every night if I had a match or how we got on. They are really supportive.
Would you say that the company has been supportive of you continuing your sporting career?
Oh definitely. Managers always ask me how I’m getting on, even if they’re just passing through. They keep in touch with how I’m doing outside of work, which is really nice.
Is there anyone else on your team in the warehouse that’s into sports?
One hundred percent, everyone seems to have a hobby related to sport or exercise, which is great- we have a healthy team! It’s especially good for me because I don’t have to explain why soccer is so important to me, because they get it. I’ve had issues with previous companies due to needing time off for matches and such, which made pursuing soccer more difficult. There are even girls on my team who have left jobs because of soccer, I’m not sure if it was for the exact same issue, but that’s how passionate they are about it.
That’s such a shame if they had to leave a job because they couldn’t get the time off. You mentioned it was difficult to get time off in previous companies?
Yes, it’s happened before. I didn’t leave just because of one match, but I had a lot of late nights and tried to swap shifts for training and matches, but it wasn’t happening, so I handed in my notice. Here, I work 8 to 4 most days, which is one of the reasons I took this job. If I need to train or have a match, the team leaders here are very supportive. In previous jobs, I had to book days off for matches, which wasn’t ideal. Here, I finish at four, so I have time to get ready for training.
Have you ever had any injuries that have made it difficult to work?
Yes, I’ve had many injuries like pulling muscles, spraining arms, wrists, hands, legs, and feet. It’s an unavoidable part of playing any sport to a high level, I think. Everyone has been very accommodating when it happens. I once came in on crutches, and they told me to go home and not worry about coming back until I was ready.
You came in on crutches! Were you worried they wouldn’t believe you?
No it wasn’t that, I just wanted to come in and see if I could help. Obviously, the warehouse is a bit dangerous for someone on crutches so they were right to send me home! When I’ve come in with more minor injuries, they have no issues putting me on light duties when needed.
Let’s talk about your first impressions of the company – was it intimidating knowing it’s male-dominated?
Not really. I had done warehouse work in previous jobs, so it wasn’t daunting for me. The facilities here, like the canteen, are much better than my previous jobs. The warehouses are really clean and safe, so I wasn’t worried.
It sounds like you enjoy your working environment. Would you agree?
Yes absolutely, it’s a nice place to work, and everyone is friendly. It’s not bad getting up in the morning knowing I’m coming here.
A lot of people have told me they kind of fell into supply chain, they didn’t necessarily aim for it, what was your journey to supply chain?
I kind of fell into it too! A previous job was getting in the way of soccer, and the environment wasn’t good, so I needed out. I found this job online, it looked like a good place, got the interview, and all the people seemed really nice. So, I ended up here and I like it.
I’m told you knew someone at the company before joining, is that right?
Yes, I actually know two people from soccer who work here, so it was nice to see familiar faces when starting a new job. It made it less scary.
Do you recommend this job to others involved in sports?
I do and I have- I’ve handed in a few CVs from my soccer team and my brother’s too. The shifts are handy, you know what times you’re working, and you can plan around it. The managers are very accommodating and understanding for things like that.
Do you feel there are enough opportunities for you to progress if you want them?
Yes I’d say so, I started upstairs and every role they’re hiring for gets put out to us via email, whether we have the qualifications or not. You can see the job description and know what you need to do to get there. When I applied for GMP, everyone was very helpful in getting me the credentials I needed to get this job.
That’s brilliant to hear, so what’s next for you?
I’m interested in some of the office roles, like procurement. I might go to college for it, but I haven’t looked into it properly yet. Either way, I know there’s a lot of training I can do through the company, so I’ll be supported if I decide to go for it.
Thank you so much for your time, Amy. It’s been great talking to you!