No Wrong Path: Holly, Contract Administration Manager

Our 'No wrong path’ stories support the Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) campaign for young people who may feel disheartened by their exam results or aren’t sure what their next step after school should be. Colleagues from across Team Robertson who were in that same position share their experiences of leaving school and getting to where they are now – and show that there’s no right or wrong path.

Holly had no specific career in mind when she left school and fell into facilities management by chance. From there her career has gone from strength to strength. Here she talks about her progression so far.

Tell us about school:

I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, but at school I was viewed as badly behaved – because of that there was no encouragement or interest in my abilities. I left at 15 after completing my standard grades and headed to college, my only option at that age.

You did business management at college, why choose that?

That’s down to my business teacher at school, the one person who recognised that I wasn’t misbehaving or stupid, only that I didn’t learn in the same way as others. It’s because of their support I took an interest in business studies. College was difficult too because of classroom learning, but I stayed the year and left with a National Certificate in Business.

What did you do after college?

I spent two years in retail, working on the till in a sports clothing shop. I worked my way up to the main till user and became the trusted person for busy periods like Christmas because the monies always tallied accurately when I was on. As well as transferrable skills like customer service, working there gave me a confidence boost.

Your next role marked the start of your career in facilities management?

Facilities management wasn’t on my radar until I started working as a receptionist for an oil company. With 1,000 people in the building and around 200 calls a day, it was busy which works well for me. In my seven years there I was promoted from receptionist to the facilities management helpdesk; completed a modern apprenticeship in supervising; and with that went on to become supervisor to a team of janitors.

Did you enjoy the apprenticeship?

Yes, I had a fantastic manager who acted as my mentor. Plus, because most coursework was based on evidencing my work activities rather that classwork, I got on well.

What was next?

Our facilities management team was tuped over to another company and I was put on a hard services course which, being classroom based, I found more difficult.

I left that company and stepped out of facilities management for six months but realised that was the wrong decision. Then I saw an ad for a facilities management coordinator with Robertson, applied and got the job. Initially I managed two administrators and oversaw maintenance for several FM contracts – over time that rose to 25 sites

Once again I had a supportive manager who mentored me and set aside regular development time to build my knowledge and discuss any issues that had cropped up or questions I had.

You completed the Robertson Facilities Management Futures Programme?

Yes, it’s geared to employees wanting to progress into a management role. Over the year I attended a series of workshops and completed a six-month group project. Again it was tough going, especially with a busy job, but it’s been great for my professional development.

You’ve recently changed role, tell us about that:

I’m now a Contract Administration Manager. I oversee administrators across our facilities management sites in Aberdeen, ensuring all works are carried out and everyone is following the same procedures and standards to get there. It’s more about seeing the bigger picture rather than the day-to-day work I’ve been used to. In that respect it’s quite a change, but I’m really enjoying it.

What advice have you got for any young person receiving their grades who may be disappointed with their results or aren’t sure what they want to do next?

There are other ways to get into a great career. I ended up in facilities management purely by chance, rather than knowing what I wanted to do – and once I had a taste, I was able to go down the apprenticeship route which really suited me. I’d also say try to not rush things, I’ve always taken time to gain as much experience and knowledge from a role as I can, and found it makes the next step much easier.