My story
Hi, I'm Josie.
Assistant Manager in Engagement Support Services and bookworm, Cardiff
What matters most to me is
I’m motivated by learning, meeting new people, and giving back to society. At work I’ve always enjoyed networking, as I find it a great way to expand my horizons.
My journey so far…
I grew up in Newport in South Wales. Although I loved school and always did well, I was quite indecisive about what I wanted from the future. I started doing A Levels, but I wanted more flexibility. I discovered that Deloitte offered entry level apprenticeship options for people who’ve taken their GCSEs. At the time I’d never heard of the firm, but after doing some research I decided it would be a great fit for me because of the wide variety of learning opportunities on offer.
In 2019 I joined as an assistant in Engagement Support Services (ESS). Our team supports colleagues from all across the firm with different tasks – it’s been a great opportunity to get exposure to lots of different areas of the business, while working really collaboratively with others. Before joining I was working for a fast-food chain - coming here was a big contrast! I loved the professional environment, and the fact that everyone treated me as an equal. It was also great because I could live at home with my parents and commute to Cardiff. I couldn’t have afforded to move away, so I appreciated having local options.
Work that matters
Now I’m an Assistant Manager, responsible for reporting directly on the progress of all our team in Engagement Support Services. In ESS, we support all business areas in Deloitte with essential tasks, so that client-facing colleagues are able to focus more on their clients. It’s rewarding to know that my reporting means we’re able to drive efficiency and continuous improvements to better support people across the firm.
Outside of my main role, I’m involved in Deloitte’s Five Million Futures project, which supports people into employment and education. I recently helped to organise DeloitteFest, which is a fundraising event in Cardiff with a live band and food vendors. The night was a huge success and we raised funds for National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS), a Deloitte partner charity that supports vulnerable children and young adults. I’ve always supported our charity projects and it’s a nice break from my main job. I get to make a difference, as well as having the opportunity to build relationships with people in other areas.
Highlights from my week
Monday
I started the process of month-end reporting, which means I collate my team's performance information and input the data into a template. I then review it so we can analyse trends and report observations to monitor and improve our performance.
Tuesday
My team and I regularly request enhancements to be made to our My Support service catalogue to ensure our customers always have the best experience. I spent some time testing our recently implemented changes to confirm their successful deployment.
Wednesday
I met my team for a collaboration day in the office. As part of our teambuilding event, we held a whiteboard session to brainstorm the ways we could work more efficiently and better support one another.
Thursday
After a day of meetings, I used my flexible working hours and finished early for a personal appointment. I love having the opportunity to adapt my hours when needed.
Friday
It’s the end of the week which gives me time to catch up on my to-do list. After work I visited the Cardiff Millennium Centre to watch the musical, Six, which I really enjoyed.
My weekend looks like
I’m an avid reader and really enjoy collecting books. I also love walking and I’m lucky enough to live in an area with a woodland nearby. On weekends I invite friends over to play games, watch movies, and have lots of snacks. I have also recently picked up a new hobby – drawing! I certainly have a lot of practising to do but I have plenty of books on the topic to help me learn. I’ve started with drawing animals, using my cats as my muses.
3 things I’ve learned
1
The importance of networking
My apprenticeship really highlighted the value of meeting new people and learning from them. It’s been invaluable for my personal growth.
2
Learning to prioritise
When you join it’s easy to think you have to deliver everything straight away which used to overwhelm me. I’ve learnt to manage my to-do list without putting too much pressure on myself.
3
Making time for self-reflection
It’s important to recognise where you are in your career, or even in your personal life, and use this to actualise your goals. By taking time to reflect, you can understand how you’re performing currently and what your next steps might be.
Book recommendation
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Klara and the Sun is a powerful, philosophical novel that makes the reader question what it means to be human. This book focuses on compassion and the respect of another's belief, while also challenging what our growing dependence on technology means for society. Not only is it a great book, but it also allows you to reflect on modern life.
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