INDUSTRYNEWS
WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
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Annette O ’ Connor is the Group HR Director for Epwin Group . Since joining the company in 1995 , she has been instrumental in the transition and development of the workforce that is the driving force for the business . Annette spoke to Clearview about how she worked her way to the top …
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ANNETTE ’ S FATHER was in the military , which meant she grew up travelling around the UK and Europe . Although this was a great life experience , it didn ’ t allow her to take a formal education route . However , she did not let this hold her back and , with the support of Epwin , has gone on to achieve professional qualifications in her thirties and carve out a long successful career at the company .
“ On entering employment , I found my childhood spent moving around had made me very adaptable and given me an understanding of different cultures and the importance of communication ,” Annette explains . She used these skills to excel in a recruitment role in London ’ s Square mile , before relocating to Ireland for a time . While there , she found opportunities in recruitment were limited and moved into accounts management for a large industrial and electronics supplier .
In the early 90s , Annette identified Epwin as a company she would like to work for and , with no previous experience in HR , took a junior role in the HR team . With a natural aptitude for the job and the support of the company , she worked her way up through the ranks , gaining a CIPD professional qualification
in the early noughties , as well as a qualification in advanced employment law . “ Coming in at a junior level and learning my trade from the bottom up has served me well ,” says Annette . “ I ’ m grateful to the managers and directors that have mentored me over the years .
“ Epwin has developed people from within and we have a long serving workforce . We have also brought in fresh talent where needed , recognising new skills and experience from different industries that will support our continued success .”
Annette ’ s advice is to , “ Take yourself out of your comfort zone , find out what you need to do and work hard to learn your trade . Don ’ t wait to get recognised , get yourself noticed .”
“ Your front door … a real statement about you ”
»»“ HI , I ’ M GEORGE Clarke , product ambassador for Truedor from IG Doors .
I believe that Composite Doors are one of the best products on the market today when it comes to quickly and dramatically changing the appearance and the feel of the home , and enabling homeowners to make a really personal statement about themselves ”.
“ Whether they live in a Victorian terrace , a 1930 ’ s semi-detached , a cottage or a truly modern development , their front door is the most immediately visible feature of their home and is the thing which says most about them ”.
“ For so many years the range of door styles available was quite limited , but thankfully that ’ s no longer the case . Now there is a vast range of door styles available specifically designed to suit whatever type of property people live in . Exploring the options available can give homeowners ideas for their home they hadn ’ t thought of before or even realised were possible ”.
“ It means that they can have exactly the door style they
want , to suits both the type of the property they live in , and equally importantly to give their home an appearance that is highly personalised to them - a complete reflection of their tastes ”.
“ I always say to homeowners that it is important to understand the crucial role that a front door plays in the look and feel of the home and how important it should be to them – every time they come home of an evening , or friends and neighbours come to the door it is an opportunity for them to feel that the door is entirely personal to them , a reflection of their personality . It should give them a real sense of pride , and a real sense of ownership ”.
“ Meaningful choice is really important , especially in today ’ s world where people have a real sense of who they are and what kind of statement they want to make about themselves – being able to choose a great front door enables this to happen and is a great starting point for any changes people want to make to their home ”
14 » MAR 2017 » CLEARVIEW-UK . COM