Courtney’s fast track to HR role
AT just 23, Courtney Power’s fledgling career has already taken some twists and turns she was totally unprepared for – but she’s embraced them wholeheartedly.
In less than a year at Fletcher International Exports, she’s already had so many different jobs she finds it difficult to keep track.
“I’ve just moved into the Work, Health and Safety (WHS) office, so I’m helping out doing whatever it is that I’m told to do,” Ms Power said.
“I started in accounts in an admin kind of role and accounts payable with Colleen and then I did a bit of payroll with Brett and a bit of security for a new system. Then about a month ago I got moved over to the grain terminal and I worked with Joe there for three weeks and then it was like, we need you back over here.
“It is exciting, every day’s different which helps, it makes you want to get up and come in,” she said.
Before starting at Fletcher’s she thought an abattoirs was simply a place to cut up sheep into eating-sized portions.
“I never pictured this side of it. With every other business you have the main productive section and then you have offices in all different areas, but this, it’s all in one so it’s a different experience,” Ms Power said.
“I definitely did not think I would be in accounts. I did an animal science degree at uni and they needed someone to fill a role so I gave it a go, and within a few weeks I think I was pretty much on top of it.
“It’s a great culture at work and it definitely gives you a lot more confidence thinking that other people believe that you can do things, even though you don’t think it yourself,” she said.
Ms Power is grateful she’s being pushed to her ability, to jump in the deep end and learn roles she’d never have thought about applying for. It has given her an incredibly broad skills base already for someone who began their fulltime working life less than one year ago.
“Everything’s tight-knit here, if you’re in one position and a role pops up and Melissa (Fletcher) or someone thinks you’ll be good at it, they just shoot you over there and say, ‘Give it a go and if it’s not for you, let me know and you can go somewhere else.’ They’re here to fit you to the role, not the other way round, it’s fabulous,” Ms Power said.
“I love it in HR, there’s a great feel here in this building, you get to communicate with the workers every day, help them out as much as we can, I really enjoy doing that. If I can fix someone’s problems it makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something in that day, it’s nice.”
Courtney said with school life ending for so many locals at this time of year, she can’t encourage them enough to wander out to the northside of town and knock on Fletcher’s door, even if it’s just to make some casual cash before heading off to uni.
“I’d definitely say come in and have a go, there’s something here for everyone and if it’s not the first or second job you try, it might be the 10th or 11th, but you’ll definitely find it,” she said.