How long have you been working for ST?
I have worked for Severn Trent for just over six years now but have only been with Severn Trent Services for two months.
What does your main job role entail? i.e. data entry, customer service etc.
I currently work as a Marketing Assistant for Severn Trent Services and engage with multiple brands under the Severn Trent PLC umbrella. My day-to-day can vary quite a lot, I’m definitely still learning and picking up new ways of working, but so far I’ve been quite involved in supporting our online presence and helping to bring to life campaigns across the business that require elements of event planning and video editing.
What was your first role here at ST and has it changed i.e. promotion or job evolved?
I joined Severn Trent in 2017 as a Customer Billing Advisor, moved into a Learning and Development role in that same department where I helped to train and develop our front office staff. I had worked in L&D previously, so this felt like quite a natural step at the time, but I then found myself moving into a project coordination role where I worked with our waste and water infrastructure design teams, which was quite the leap into something new!
In 2022 I decided to undertake a MSc in Marketing Management as although I enjoyed working within the project management realm, I wanted something that allowed me to be a little bit more creative, and I remembered enjoying the marketing aspects of my undergraduate degree. When I applied for the Marketing Assistant role, I was sure that this was the direction I wanted to take my career in, and while I have definitely had my foot in a few different doors at Severn Trent, those previous experiences have really helped me to navigate the familiar challenges of any career move.
What’s the best thing about working for ST?
I really love that Severn Trent puts a lot of effort into upskilling and finding new opportunities for their staff, but also supports the people who are happy where they are. No matter what role I have been in over the past six years, I have always had a great deal of encouragement from my managers and colleagues whenever it’s come to deciding what steps I want to take to continue learning and pushing myself, and the emotional support where I’ve needed it. Knowing that I am surrounded by good people who really care is an invaluable thing.
What is your proudest personal moment (in or outside of work)?
My proudest personal moment would definitely have to be walking across the stage to collect my MSc degree, after having graduated as one of only three others in my classes with a Distinction. I completed this in a year while also working full time, and though it took a lot out of me, it also showed me that I’m capable of a lot more than I ever thought before. I’ve also now discovered I have a very keen interest in relationship and neuromarketing, which I studied while completing my dissertation, so who knows? Maybe a PHD is on the horizon!
If you could name one individual who’s helped/inspired you over the years, who would they be and why?
It might be a little bit cliché, but I’d have to give this particular honour to my mum. She’s been my number one supporter for as long as I can remember, has encouraged me through a lot of fleeting interests and wants, but has always managed to keep me walking the (relatively!) straight and narrow path. I would be a very different person today if it weren’t for her influence, and the older I’m getting the more I see of her in myself for which I am eternally grateful.
She is the person who has taught me that it’s okay to follow your dreams even if your dreams change, and that it’s never too late to start something fresh, as long as you’re staying true to who you are in that moment.
What has been your most memorable moment working for ST?
I think I would have to say that my most memorable moment working for Severn Trent would have to be at the 2022 Awesome Awards, when I and my colleagues in the LGBTQ+ Advisory Board won the Gold award for Showing Pride. We had some fantastic opportunities to really show off all the hard work we had been putting in to make Severn Trent an inclusive place of work, and we saw some incredible improvements that year, so to be recognised for that among some real shining stars was the cherry on top of the cake.
