Just one week after graduating from the University of Lincoln, Beth Hodgkinson jumped headfirst into a graduate placement with the Portakabin Site Accommodation team.
We caught up with her to see how she’s settling into life at Portakabin…
“I joined Portakabin very soon after graduating, it was a hectic time relocating to Birmingham” Beth shared, “However the Site Accommodation team were so welcoming. In my first week, they organised evenings out, showed me places to go in Birmingham, visited The Priory and went to the Birmingham parkrun with me! This was a huge help, I don’t think I could have made that adjustment without them.
“When I read the job ad it really resonated with me. Each point sounded right up my street. I didn’t think I was going to find a role that was just right, but this is it!
“Since joining, I’ve been fully immersed in the commercial side of the business, from handling new quotes to project delivery. No day is the same; the team are experts at working within a fast-paced and reactive industry.
“From shadowing calls, I’ve experienced the personal customer service we offer. My very first customer visit was to discuss a quote in person rather than over email. I’m starting to see repeat orders in my own work now, it’s so encouraging to see this come full circle.
“My favourite project I’ve worked on is the facility delivered for Hitachi. This really captured the scale of what we can deliver. It was also so interesting visiting the site, and viewing the energy plans, project progress images and pictures of what the original brownfield site looked like on the walls.
“I have three months left before I’ll be moving on to my next placement on the graduate programme with our Transformation team. I’m looking forward to experiencing the difference between corporate and commercial work.
“But before I go, I’ll be wrapping up a materials inventory project that I’ve been managing. This is helping to cut costs and provide security to clients that we have the materials required to deliver on time, on budget.
“Under the graduate scheme I’ve also had lots of opportunities to develop my skills. I’m currently working on a group project with the other graduates across Portakabin looking into a sustainability package offering . This involves lots of customer research and will be a two-year project. It’s my first time working on a project like this which is exciting.
“And alongside all this, I’ve been making time to carry on running which I love. We have a Portakabin Strava group which helps keep me motivated! I’ve recently started cross-fit which has given me the chance to try new activities like gymnastics which I’m really enjoying.”
At Portakabin, we recognise that the talent of our people is the foundation of our success. That’s why we are dedicated to developing your skills throughout your career by providing high-quality learning and development opportunities. Interested in a career with Portakabin? Take a look at our current vacancies.