Our Drivers of Change sponsor Jardine Motors Group went above and beyond to support our winners in last year’s competition.
Read on below for a Q&A with 2020 Retail Award winner, Marvin Samuels, on his meeting with Clare Wright, HR Director.
Could you provide the names of sponsor organisations / individuals you received mentoring from?
Clare Wright – Jardine Motors Group.
What were the benefits of the mentoring sessions?
I feel the sessions give me the opportunity to get validation of my thoughts and ideas from someone outside of my immediate social circle. Someone that will be objective without being critical, honest, without being unnecessarily brutal.
What topics were discussed during the mentoring sessions?
Our first session was prior to the Christmas break. During our session we discussed my ambitions for my app, expectations, existing knowledge and skills, my existing network, possibilities to extend my network and leverage the skills of those new to my network, but I felt the most important items was how and where I should be focusing my efforts to make the most progress. Clare made me aware of contacts she knew that would be able to give me the support and share knowledge that would help me.
Have the mentoring sessions inspired you to join the automotive industry?
It was always my ambition to find a way to move into the automotive industry, but now I can actually see a way that I can make that move. I have started extending my network to people within the industry and hope this increased exposure will present the opportunity I am currently striving for. It turns out my mentors’ work history is not too different to mine (we have even worked at the same company, but at different times) and has inspired me even more to follow my dreams of working in the automotive industry.
A huge thank you to Marvin for sharing his experience and to our sponsor Jardine Motors Group for going above and beyond to support this initiative and our talented finalists.
