Taking over a family affair

AT 22, Tammy Vos is learning to lead her family’s North Geelong business specialising in routine electrical maintenance, upgrades and testing and tagging appliances for clients including Deakin University and the MCG.

The young general manager of TTS Electrics is stepping up into her father Allan’s shoes as he battles ill health.

It’s a sliding doors transition for the pair, with Ms Vos, who completed her apprenticeship in 2016, juggling time “on the tools” while taking over managerial functions. Her father, company’s founding director, is doing the journey in reverse.

“I am a very organised person,” Ms Vos said.

“I try to get as much knowledge from Dad as possible to try to help him.”

The arrangement passed a key point in recent weeks when TTS Electrics was awarded a five-year contract extension at Deakin.

Mr Vos said Deakin made sure Tammy was up to the task, despite a business relationship dating back 15 years.

“They still have to ask the right questions,” Mr Vos said.

“To see the respect she had from them was amazing.”

While young to be taking the reins, Ms Vos has long eyed a future in the family business, leaving school after year 11 to start an electrical apprenticeship.

“I saw the opportunity to come and work here and saw the opportunity as a family business and all the potential outcomes if I stayed in,” she said.

“Once I was in working I was so happy. I have not once thought, `No, I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to be in the trade’.”

Then, in the fourth year of her apprenticeship, Alan fell ill and spent long periods in hospital, leaving Tammy and her mum, Andrea, to keep the business running.

Ms Vos said that experience taught her the importance of communication.

“I was just coming in and doing my work as an apprentice and it came to the point where I was organising people,” she said,

“And letting Mum know that it was organised and settled, so she didn’t stress and I didn’t stress.”

Andrea Vos has no doubt her daughter was crucial.

“I am really proud of Tammy because without her it would have been a lot harder,” Andrea said.

The hardest part for Tammy was fielding inquiries from clients while doing the classes for her apprenticeship but she was still nominated for apprentice of the year.

Now, with the support of a business mentor and having formalised their new roles, the family is looking forward to the next phase of TTS Electrics.

“The future is hopefully growing and maintaining our big contracts and hopefully expanding into other places,” Ms Vos said.

“But at the same time not growing too quickly and keeping all our clients happy.”

She sees growing demand