Championing Alternative Routes to Success
Making a Material Difference by Championing Alternative Routes to Success
You do not need perfect test scores and a glowing work history to have a career in the Building Materials industry. We source and store building materials, sell them to customers then prepare the materials for delivery or collection. Our customers have choices, so whether the customer comes back to us depends on how we make our customers feel.
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand yourself and your own emotions, as well as the people around you. Great EI allows for natural rapport with others. Self-awareness, self-motivation and empathy makes everyone feel important – leading to positive feedback, sales and customer retention. These skills are seldom learned in the classroom.
Albert Einstein said “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”, and we wholeheartedly agree. Everyone can master a role in merchanting and become of immense value, regardless of previous circumstances and perceived limitations.
We encourage personal development without pressure, ensuring individuals are focused on the present and what they can do right now, as well as actively considering the next steps they can take to become who they want to be in the future.
Matt Whymark – Work Experience Yard Sweeper to Depot Manager
One of our favourite succession stories comes from Matthew Whymark. Matt started his Colliers journey back in 2006, when he came to us for a week’s work experience. He was taking care of the shop and sweeping up in the yard. After surviving the week, Matt started working Saturdays on the counter, which he did for a year, until he finished school.
Matt’s first full-time role with Collier & Catchpole began in 2008. He was officially a Yard Assistant — helping with the loading and unloading of lorries and trucks with the forklifts, serving customers, preparing stock and supporting the sales team.
Matt spent the following years majoring in different areas of the business, training and taking on new roles within purchasing, sales, distribution, transport and warehousing. In more recent years, Matt completed his Diploma in Merchanting through the BMF.
In 2022, Matt’s dedication got him promoted to Assistant Depot Manager. A year later, Matt was promoted again and became our youngest Depot Manager in the company’s history at 31 years old, and is still progressing every day at Colliers.
