Libby May, Schneider Electric‘s UK&I Customer Care Manager.
I have worked for Schneider Electric six years in July initially recruited as the Order Processing Business Unit Manager then taking the UK&I Customer Care Manager leading the Customer Care Centres in Telford and Warrington. I have a passion for helping people, making a difference to people’s lives, seeing people grow in confidence and achieving their goals is so rewarding.
Schneider Electric is an exciting place to work, we have great a great culture around inclusion, diversity and giving people the opportunity to grow, try something different and push people out of the comfort zone. We provide people with a safety net, which enables people to step unknown territory but with support and mentorship of experienced Leaders.
The opportunities we offer is endless working with different entities, working with different Customer types, your destiny is in YOUR hands. Just because you do not fit all the criteria in a Job Description, take a risk, raise your head above the parapet and say “how about me? I can bring this to the table…” .
When recruiting I take risks, I recruit on gut feeling and if I think the person has got the right attitude I can train the rest.
We have great examples within the CCC where recruitment risks have been taken and Schneider have certainly benefited. In 2018 eight people were successful placed into other Business units such as PeopleLink, LVE, SES, Talent Acquisition Team & many more. This is a great accolade to the high calibre of recruitment and onboarding training delivered by Joana in the Transformation team whom also once resided in the Customer Care Centre.
I have recently engaged with South Staffs College with the Electrical Engineering team, providing them with products no longer saleable from Schneider but will help the students learn and use the BEST product in the beginning of their career. The College are elated with the support and the collaboration, in time when these students are ready to leave the next they potentially are the Graduates or Apprentices into Schneider.
My passion as previously mentioned is about supporting people, helping them grow and achieve their goals. In 2012 I stumbled across a little School out in West Africa, the conditions these children were being taught in really was shocking, no desks, learning materials or natural light and I know the moment I walk through the gate I could make a difference to these children’s lives. This first years are the Foundation and it is critical they understand they can break the chains, they are intelligent and they have prospects if the apply themselves.
So 7 years later what difference have we made?
The three class rooms have been refurbished with desks, windows, exercise books, pens, pencils, learning materials, two additional classroom have been build & furbished, The head master now has an office rather than siting at the back of a classroom, Solar has been installed as a result of a kind donation from a colleague. The toilets have been refurbished and we have an additional female English teacher and a female support worker to help with the children’s personal and pastoral needs. The teachers and local community leaders have all been First Aid trained and the maintain goods First Aid records which is critical.
One thing I always say in never forget your roots… I’m a Miners daughter from Nottinghamshire, being raised in the 80’s (yes I know many of your had not even been born then!) was challenging especially as my Dad continues to work, to provide for his family. I NEVER forget my roots, there was a point in my life where Capgemini (previous employer) paid for a life coach for me, in my head I was adamant my accent would hold me back! It doesn’t you are what you are but are born and die the same but what we di in the middle is entirely our choice.
Describe myself in three words… these were comments from both friends and past colleagues on Facebook on a recent post: loyal, compassionate & a great Leader.
The best piece of career advise from my mentor was ‘you are in charge of your own destiny, take a chance & have no regrets’, in Schneider there are many opportunities, network, make yourself known not necessarily for the role you do but it could be for other things, find that hook! Use the tools you have available to get yourself known, I have met some amazing people Globally within Schneider as they are interested in the work in Africa.
Remember life is about balance, my life is 100mph and my mantra is ‘live & love life’ and I certainly do. Outside of work I’m a Group Exercise Instructor teaching Spinning, BodyPump, Pure Core etc. I love training and seeing changes to peoples lives, building their confidence & making a difference. I spend time twice a month over in the Ilkeston Shelter supporting Homeless people, helping them build their confidence and again breaking the cycle, if anybody if interested about the Callum story please message me its so lovely… and FINALLY in 6 days I’m live on stage for two nights only doing the real full Monty with a group of 18 ‘normal’ people raising money for a truly amazing charity – The Royal Marsden Hospital whom research Cancer and medicines to fight this dreadful illness. So far we have raised an amazing £26,000.
