If you want to manage and be involved with lots of challenges in a team environment then this is the place to be!
We spoke to Level 2 Graduate Tom Churchill about his experiences in his first year with Gist.
Current Placement: Hemel Foods
Next Placement: Enfield
Home: West Midlands
University: Birmingham City University MSc & University of Sunderland BSc
Course: Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc & Business Management and Law BSc
Why did you apply to Gist?
At the time I was halfway through my Masters in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and started to look into the world of Logistics as my career. I applied for a few different roles and got through to their interview stages, but Gist just stood above the rest and appealed to me more than any of their competitors.
What was the recruitment process like?
It was very detailed and positive from the beginning. It allowed me to be myself and for the company to see if I was a good fit for them. I applied online which was quick and simple and following this I was invited to take a telephone interview with one of the early talent team. This was great for me, as I prefer one to one communication. I then attended an insight day at the Crewe site. This was a great opportunity to see what working for Gist would involve and gain first-hand experience. I was then fortunate enough to get to the final interview stage which took place at the Gist Head office, this included a more formal interview setting – 1-2-1 interviews, group tasks, individual tasks and networking with the senior leadership teams. For me with so many different events and tasks it allowed me to be myself, therefore allowing me to show off the skills I had to offer.
What do you do on a daily basis?
My role over the past nine months has changed from month to month which has allowed me to learn as much as possible. I started in the Transport team and worked with them for around 5 months. I had a really enjoyable experience within this team, it was a tight-knit group tackling a range of projects such as planning routes and problem solving, to building great relationships with drivers from around the business. After around 5/6 weeks I was left to run my own shift which gave me my own personal challenges and the chance to have an impact on the operation. I experienced my first Christmas Peak which was a superb opportunity to showcase everything I had learnt in my first few months. I then moved over to the Warehouse team, tackling the night shifts initially and now, currently nearing the end of my first year, I have moved on to day shifts.
Night shifts gave me the opportunity to push myself to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible. Away from this I am also rolling out our ‘dignity at work’ training sessions to all of our site employees. This has meant I have had the opportunity to take on a slightly different project –having a huge impact on our site. Overall, I will have facilitated these sessions to around 500 employees by completion.
What advice would you give to students who are interested in a placement with Gist?
Do it – if you want to manage and be involved with lots of challenges in a team environment, then this is the place.
How promising are the graduate prospects?
There has always been talk of progressing to Site Operations Manager after my two year scheme, should I continue to work hard. However, although this is my target, I try to take it day to day, attempting to learn as much as possible and ensure that the operation runs smoothly and that here at Hemel, we work on improving its efficiency.
What would be your advice to people applying?
When doing something new everyone is scared but honestly, the people here at Gist will really look after you and allow you to develop into the manager you wish to be.
How much responsibility do you have?
As much as you can handle! They won’t allow you to struggle but you will be pushed and expected to work your hardest from day one.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Everyday can provide a challenge and it’s all about overcoming that specific challenge. Sometimes you’ll reflect and think, I should have done this and sometimes you’ll be proud of the way you handled it - what’s essential is that you learn from it either way.
Has this experience exceeded your expectations?
Yes – I have thoroughly enjoyed the added responsibility and constantly learning new roles within the business.