My passion has always been in sport and fitness, but after completing a football scholarship at the age of 18 and then struggling to set up my own business as a personal trainer I ended up working in a local meat factory. After a gruelling ten months, I heard about an opportunity to join what was then Burnt Tree Vehicle Rental as an Apprentice Human resources – or HR – Administrator. I felt this was an opportunity to start a career and I was more than willing to take one step back if it meant I could eventually take two forward. HR was miles away from my sporting background so the apprenticeship seemed like the most suitable route for me as it offered a great route into a large business; it also allowed me to complete a qualification at the same time.
Fortunately, I was successful in my application and began my new role, a month before it was announced that Enterprise had acquired Burnt Tree as part of the expansion of its Flex-E-Rent Division. I now found myself working for the world’s leading car rental company – something I couldn’t have imagined only months earlier and suddenly, the future opportunities seemed endless. Indeed, after completing my apprenticeship I was promoted to HR Coordinator and relished the added responsibility that came with my new position.
In the following three years I learnt endless amounts about not only Human Resources but business in general. Enterprise supported me through my CIPD Intermediate Certificate in HR Management which gave me an academic base to build on and something I’m hugely grateful for. I built countless relationships and experienced many different business situations which propelled me to apply for a Talent Acquisition Specialist vacancy. This was a big step in my career and after being informed I was successful in my application I was even more determined to keep moving forward.
Since being with the company I have gained invaluable experience and I believe I now have the platform to build an exciting career within Enterprise. I’ve been amazed by the number of opportunities available for all employees and very impressed with the time the company has invested in my personal development.
Looking back, I realise my previous work experience gave me some transferable skills – as a Personal Trainer I needed to earn the trust and respect of my clients – and these are two key areas of my role at Enterprise. I’m in regular communication with internal customers and it’s important that they view me as a reliable business partner.
Leaving full-time education and going straight into a full-time job can be challenging, especially without relevant experience, but starting an apprenticeship with Enterprise will give you both the hands-on experience and knowledge needed to set you up for the future. Sounds like something you’d like to be a part of? Why not find out about the opportunities that are available at Enterprise today.
