Caltex’s magazine for employees, franchisees & resellers
Issue 48 May – Jun 09
Shannon’s sterling example
A fine example of the success that can follow enrolment in a Caltex graduate training program is the career of Shannon Fallis, Business Manager Retail Projects in Queensland.
Having finished a degree in business management at the University of Queensland, Shannon began working for Caltex in 2000 when she secured holiday employment in the HR department at Lytton refinery. While there, she applied for and secured a job in marketing in January 2001.
Soon afterwards she began an 18-month graduate training program in which she got to know “a little bit about a lot of departments,” with six-month stints in marketing at Lytton, at the Sydney office working in Brand and again at Lytton with the industrial and commercial team.
Shannon progressed through increasingly senior roles, including Calstores Business Manager, until she was appointed to her current post.
“I got to understand the company strategy and how different parts of the business engage with each other,” she says. “My training didn’t include time working in Calstores as graduates do these days. I think that’s a fantastic innovation – one of the best ways to learn.”
Shannon urges other graduates to consider enrolling, particularly at Lytton where an older workforce may herald many opportunities for newcomers, she says.
In this issue:
Graduate grooming
Laurissa Graham. Putting her resume on a job-seekers’ site led to an analyst’s job
On-the-job training for the next generation of Caltex leaders
Late last year, like many 20-year-olds fresh out of university, Laurissa Graham was looking for a job.
She had completed her degree in business and commerce at the University of Western Sydney. Having spent most of her late teenage years working part-time in her parent’s liquor stores, she was interested in a career in retailing
Laurissa put her résumé onto a job-seekers’ website. A few days later Melissa Ferris from the Caltex Talent Sourcing Department rang her.
“The information you’ve posted matches a position going at Caltex,” Melissa told her. “We’d love to have a chat with you.”
Soon after being interviewed, Laurissa, now 21, began work at Market Street as a Retail Operations Analyst. Along with another young newcomer, Tim Burdon, an economics and social science graduate, Laurissa represents a new generation of talent to enter Caltex Retail’s graduate training program.
The program is aimed at recruiting young people who have completed tertiary studies in a business-related discipline and are passionate about a career in retail, explains Retail Operations Manager, John Dulgaro.
“These graduates learn how Caltex Retail operates from the inside out, through developmental roles at 2Market and in our convenience stores,” says John.
Benefits are ‘a two-way street’
The benefits for graduates joining the company are substantial and most can look forward to an exciting career progression. Moreover there are a variety of positions to which they can aspire in Retail.
“You get exposure to high-level planning and strategic thinking as well as all elements of convenience retailing,” says 22-year-old Tim Burdon. “The program is well set up and everyone has been patient and helpful. That’s important when you’re new and have lots of questions like I do.”
Equally the advantages for Caltex are real. John Dulgaro is especially enthusiastic about what he perceives to be the main benefit: “the ability to recruit talented people who we can develop into future leaders.”
Some have walked a path to senior management in the broader Caltex organisation via a graduate program. National Manager Retail Leo Pucar believes graduates’ ability to think broadly and interact meaningfully with others improves cross-functional teamwork. They also tend to have greater job satisfaction and progress relatively quicker through the organisation, says Leo.
Indeed, Laurissa Graham’s experience indicates how fresh thinking can make a difference. She and Tim are already questioning the way some of their project work and tasks are done, and senior colleagues have been listening to their ideas. “At the moment I’m working on improving one of the regular reports I do,” Laurissa says.
Whole-of-Caltex experience
Mark Kaushal, who joined Caltex in 2007 as Retail Operations Analyst and made various improvements to reporting, is now on Calstores secondment at Parklea in New South Wales, gaining a whole-of-Caltex experience.
Mark has a Masters of Applied Commerce from the University of Melbourne and is delighted to be gaining “grassroots” understanding of retail operations. Having worked for companies including Telstra, Toyota, Optus and Daimler Chrysler in various roles, he says “it’s fantastic to be able to gain strategic and operational understanding of our business.
“I’m undertaking a structured training program with guidance from various people and the learning opportunity is immense.”
Performing all the tasks of a customer service attendant and store manager are part of the program which includes serving customers, stocking shelves, safety audits and back-office work.
Mark cites a passion for retail and growth opportunities in convenience retailing as prime reasons for joining the company.
“Fine-tuning the offer to changing customer needs and delivering on it with consistency is what makes convenience retailing really exciting” he says. “This concept is at the core of retailing strategy. The environment we operate in is ever-changing and our job is to understand and prepare for it.”
New graduate trainees welcome
What about people with degrees who already work for Caltex? John Dulgaro is quick to point out the program is open to them. In fact if you have a passion for retail and the potential to develop as a leader, you should apply for advertised graduate trainee roles with Retail, he suggests.
Retail is leading the way with its graduate program, though similar schemes have been run elsewhere in the organisation previously. The Organisation Development Group, headed by Helen Smirniotis, is currently developing a Caltex-wide graduate recruitment program.
Meanwhile Leo Pucar and John Dulgaro believe more companies would benefit from programs to take on tertiary educated, talented people; in fact they believe it’s essential, especially in downturns.
“When conditions change, and they will, organisations need to be well resourced with the right people to take advantage of the upturn in the economy,” says John. “Retail is about people, and any retail business is only as good as the quality of its people.”
Adds Leo: “Organisations don’t just need soldiers, they need to groom future generals – leaders who will ensure succession and safeguard the future. These future leaders make a difference and we need to be proactive in recruiting them early.”