Kayleigh says: “Sandwell Council is an amazing place of work and from the time I started, I have been provided with learning opportunities, career progressions, and all the support I could need. This is my ideal workplace”.
How does a normal day start?
A normal day for me is always different! Some days I may be out in the borough quoting up works for my colleagues in other departments. Other days I will be travelling with colleagues looking at enquiries and creating job sheets for my teams to complete.
I usually meet with the team first and ask them how they are, before I give them their job sheets and talk through priority work. I then sit down at my desk, check our dash for any new enquiries and assign them as needed.
If my team needs an extra pair of hands, I’m not shy and will put my greens back on and go with them to help them with their work.
Why did you join Sandwell Council?
I joined Sandwell Council as an apprentice in Dartmouth Park. I thought it would be a good way to gain skills and knowledge about a profession, whilst earning a wage and making myself available for any possible career paths. Sandwell Council is an amazing place of work and from the time I started, I have been provided with learning opportunities, career progressions, and all the support I could need. This is my ideal workplace.
What is your role?
I am a supervisor for the ground’s maintenance/arboriculture section.
What do you do in your role?
In my role I carry out a variety of work, but my main role is that I supervise and manage four separate teams, consisting of fourteen team members. I Organise and prioritise workloads for the teams. This is something I must do weekly to ensure that I have the most effective work programme in place, catering for the needs of Sandwell.
I also carry out a variety of other tasks such as quoting for works for different departments and external customers. I then arrange for these works to be completed. I also manage my department’s enquiries on DASH and inspect and create job sheets ensuring the right skills are available for each job in the team.
What’s been your most memorable moment so far?
My most memorable moment so far was becoming the apprentice of the year and passing my horticulture apprenticeship with top marks. On top of that, passing my training to drive the tractor and side arm flail was also very memorable to me.
What would you be doing if you didn’t work here?
I would have found another full time, permanent position in a different organisation; probably working with animals.
What advice would you give someone considering a career with Sandwell Council?
My advice would be to join Sandwell Council! The overall package that Sandwell Council provides for their employees is exceptional and includes many benefits. You get a good amount of annual leave, a large, varied selection of employee benefits. The pension scheme is one of the best, you will get unconditional support from the council’s occupational health. They provide varied training opportunities for those who want to learn and/or progress their career. Sandwell Council promotes equality and diversity within the workplace and being a council employee, you can contribute to the upkeep of Sandwell and make it a better place for the people within it.