Omolara

Omolara's STORY

Contact Centre Team Leader, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water

Contact Centre Team Leader
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water

Whilst at university, Omolara saw a future career in the not-for-profit/charity sector. When she realised that Welsh Water incorporated both customer care and environmental care with a not for profit ethos she knew she had to apply.

What do you do and where do you do it?

My graduate scheme is based in the Retail side of the business. This is where the majority of customer contact takes place; everything from applying for a water meter, to moving to a new house, to reporting a flood.

I spent the first half of my graduate scheme in the Continuous Improvement Team of Retail, where my focus was working with our colleagues to improve processes and ways of working to ensure they are both customer friendly and innovative. My 12 months in the CI team helped solidify my skills in project management, stakeholder management and interpreting data.

I’ve spent the second half of my graduate scheme developing my people management skills, whilst based in the Contact Centre. I am currently setting up a brand-new team who will be specialists in handling telephone complaints, which is a massive task, but one that I’m really excited for!

Why did you apply for the Welsh Water graduate programme?

I previously worked in Southern Water and loved the balance that the water industry has between care for customers and care for the environment. However, whilst at university, I saw my future career in the not-for-profit/charity sector. When I realised that Welsh Water incorporated both customer care and environmental care with a not for profit ethos I knew I had to apply.

What have you enjoyed most about the Welsh Water graduate programme?

I’ve mostly enjoyed the freedom that this graduate scheme brings; it really is what you make it. You have opportunities to visit other parts of the business, go out on site, visit customers at home, enrol in internal and/or external training. And the best part is how supportive everyone in the business is. If you have a goal or need, whether it be a particular training course or conference, your managers and mentors will always do what they can to support this. This means that no two days are the same. When people ask me what my job is I struggle to explain because it involves so much variety. One day I could be facilitating a workshop, the next day I could be holding a fundraising tombola or holding a litter pick!

What would you say to anyone thinking about applying for the programme?

Firstly go for it! Second of all be ready to really take control of your future. The graduate scheme offers aspects that would help any individual progress, but you need to understand your own goals, strengths and weaknesses (or at least be willing to learn about them) to get the most out of it.