Oscar’s Journey

What did you do before you joined ILG?

Before I joined ILG, I was studying Business Management at the University of Brighton.

Why did you join ILG?

The course I was on required me to take a year out to gain work experience, which is known as a placement year. During my second year of studying I had to seek opportunities at companies offering business placements and at this point I had a passion for marketing and was looking for a placement that would allow me to gain more experience in this area. ILG worked with Brighton & Sussex University to employ placement students in either customer service or marketing. I came across ILG as a recommended employer for a placement year and was really interested in the industry that they worked in which prompted me to apply for the role. When I visited the site for my interview I felt really welcome and everyone was very friendly and helpful which really made me want the job more. Fortunately, two weeks later I got a call from the HR Manager who offered me the role. I was really chuffed and excited to start.

What does your job involve?

After my placement year I was very fortunate to be asked to come back after I finished studying. When I was offered full-time employment I was incredibly happy and after discussions with the management team we decided that I would come back and work in operations as a Contract Coordinator, which is a supervisory role that involved coordinating teams of pickers and packers working on a large cosmetics contract. It was a very different role to what I had done for my placement year, but I had become really fond of the operations team and spent a lot of time visiting sites and getting to know how warehousing and logistics work.

Two and a half years later, I am now a Warehouse Manager, so I am responsible for the day-to-day running of a particular warehouse. On a day-to-day basis there are around 40 staff that I am responsible for that include Warehouse Assistants, Contract Coordinators, Team Leaders and Section Managers. Our warehouse is a multi-contract site that holds a variety of fashion, cosmetics, health and baby clothing clients. Each day we have to receive and sort stock, pick, pack and ship orders as well as making sure we work safely and securely to keep the team and customers happy. I oversee all of the different areas of the warehouse and regularly meet with the leaders to discuss daily plans and changes, our overall performance, plans for the near future, company updates and changes, as well as being responsible for the financial performance of the site.

What do you like most about your job?

I’m passionate about people management and development and I really thrive off being a part of such a big team and developing people to help them reach their goals and better their skills and experience. I am very target-driven and get a lot of satisfaction from meeting daily, weekly and monthly targets. Whether that be financial targets or operational targets, I try my hardest to achieve them each and every day. I also really enjoy the challenges that are presented by logistics because you are exposed to such a wide range of different things every day, so you are constantly learning something new.

How would you describe the opportunities for promotion?

The opportunities for promotion are great! As long as you are hard-working, proactive, dedicated and passionate about the company and industry, then the opportunities will come your way. I was very fortunate to get two promotions within two years which has got me to where I am now. ILG is a company that invests a lot of time and development into its staff which you see on a day to day basis. I have seen so many people rise up through the ranks from Warehouse Assistants through to Supervisors and Section Managers and it is great to see people go on such rewarding journeys. There are always progression opportunities for those who strive for it!

How would you describe the training you have received?

The training has been very useful and has really helped me shape some of my key attributes and skills that I have today. At all levels you are given a lot of opportunities to use your own initiative and methods to carry out your job which can then be discussed with your managers and you are given feedback on your performance, which really helps you understand your areas for improvement and your strengths. I could not have got to where I am without my manager guiding me, challenging me, giving me opportunities to prove myself and trusting me to make important decisions. It really makes you feel valuable when you are given positive feedback and ways you can improve.

What advice would you give to anyone considering applying to ILG?

If you are looking for a long-term career where you can progress, develop and work towards your goals then ILG is a great start. ILG has a great culture and you feel part of a big family that look out for each other and work together to be successful. My main advice for someone applying to ILG is to make sure that you understand what logistics entails as an industry and that you are willing to work well in a dynamic workplace where team work is at the heart of everything we do!

Why did you apply for the undergraduate programme at ILG?

I applied for the undergraduate programme at ILG because I wanted to gain business experience in a professional and fast-growing company. It was also a great opportunity to build up transferable skills that I could use for the future, work closely with senior managers and directors as well as be exposed to the realities of marketing and sales in a business environment. The year also helped me find passions in different areas of business that I did not originally have which has now resulted in me working in a completely different part of the business that I never thought I would.