What's your job about?
I worked as an intern for the health, safety, and wellbeing intern at The Warehouse Group (TWG). TWG is
New Zealand’s largest retail merchandiser and in the health, safety & wellbeing team, my employer works to make sure the company is operating in the safest way possible, continually improving its procedures and complying with legislation. Health and safety are arguably one of the most important aspects of any company, as its what TWG largely relies on to operate correctly. As an intern, I have been involved in various projects including risk assessments, contractor management and creating standard operations of procedure guides. I have had the opportunity to not only work in the support office located in Northcote but work from the distribution centres which offer insights into how the products are produced and get to the customers. Additionally, I have been able to go on store visits to see everything come together in real life and oversee various inspections. Every day is different but if I was to briefly describe a day in my life the main aspects would include - general admin such as emails (which sounds boring but is actually a highlight of my day – makes me feel like a professional), meetings with my supervisors for guidance, working on a project such as standard operating procedure guides which involves inputting information into templates and don’t forget lunch with Liv (another intern).
What's your background?
I grew up and have lived my whole life in Kohimarama, Auckland. My parents have always prioritised living near the beach, so I have grown up spending every spare second swimming, whether this is down at Kohi beach or adventuring up north, as well as visiting our cousins’ batch in lake Taupo. The ocean has become my happy place, where I feel the most relaxed and calm. I attended both Kohimarama primary and Saint Kentigern college, both of which have acted as amazing starting points for the knowledge and morals I carry today. I have had a part-time job since I turned 16. I have always placed heavy importance on supporting myself financially and being able to afford the opportunities I want to experience. Pro tip – get a job as early as possible and SAVE MONEY – not having a student loan is great!! Straight after high school I skipped my graduation and went backpacking around Europe with my cousin (Spain, Italy, Germany, Amsterdam, Paris, and London). This was the most amazing experience, meeting new people, exploring new cultures and learning more about the world and myself. Pro tip 2 – prioritising travel, is the epitome of experiential learning, making it one of the many reasons why travel is the best education that money can buy. Take that trip you’ve wanted to because before you know it you’ll be tied down in a full-time job. After my travels, I started my university journey at AUT and that’s how I got here (doing my internship at TWG). University was an interesting experience to say the least as most of it was online. While initially I was disappointed that I may be missing out on a traditional uni experience, nevertheless everything has worked out and now I’m about to finish the internship I always aimed to get (at TWG)
Could someone with a different background do your job?
The answer to this question is that anyone could do this job. Of course, having an HR degree under your belt and having related theories concepts and terms knowledge is helpful but anyone with the right mindset can do it. It doesn’t matter what your background, upbringing or education consisted of; what matters is if you have the will to work hard, ask questions and are passionate about what you're doing. In my opinion that is probably the most important requirement for this job - make sure you have an actual interest in your job otherwise you become unmotivated and see going to work every day as a chore. Life is short so why waste it doing something you’re not interested in? For health, safety and wellbeing particularly, related skills and knowledge such as the relevant legislation and risk assessment tools are handy, but this can all be learnt. It is your individual determination and willingness to adapt to change that will see success in this role.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
The coolest thing about this job is the real-life experience. For me is it not a specific task that I have enjoyed the most, it is the new sense of professionalism I have gained. Studying for multiple years has nevertheless been a great time but getting to apply this knowledge in large cooperation like TWG has been an incredible learning experience. Additionally, up until this job I have worked my whole life as a part-time hospitality worker. Transferring over into the corporate world has been truly eye-opening and insightful. The team I have been on have been extremely welcoming and all represent extremely knowledgeable, hard-working professionals carrying traits that I aspire to display in the working world. I have developed a clearer view of what it's like to work in the professional world which makes me very excited for my future.
What are the limitations of your job?
The main limitation of this job is maintaining a work-life balance. As an intern my projects are limited but I can see as reflected by other team members that health and safety is an extremely hands-on demanding industry that requires knowledge dedication and hard work. The employer’s duty is to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and this is what this job does. I can see very quickly that this career could take over your life and spill over into your weekends. I see this in fellow team members and myself. While I may not work overtime my brain is constantly filled with health and safety thoughts, it is sometimes hard to separate work life from private life. Thankfully though this limitation is preventable, and you can put routines in place to maintain a balance. For me, this means completely resetting over the weekend and not doing anything work-related (leaving me time).
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...
Ask questions – Sounds simple but is single-handily what I owe my success throughout university too. Since the university has been online it is very normal to be in a class where no one talks. This is your opportunity – speak up, talk to people, and never leave a class or a job with a question on your mind. No question is a dumb question; neither is emailing your lecturer a million times (while you think you might be pestering them; they are there to answer your questions).
Stay consistent at a part-time job throughout uni to avoid as much of a student loan as possible – Graduating without a student loan may be one of my biggest accomplishments. Not having to ever worry about owing that large sums back (something most people I know carry) is an extremely big weight of my chest that mentally brings me great joy. Working as well as studying brings its difficulties but is definitely achievable. As long you maintain balance, routine, and time to complete assignments, it’s totally fine (trust me the late nights you stay up to complete your assignment because you worked throughout the day are worth it).
Dream big – achieve more. The quote I live by. You are your biggest supporter and you are capable of anything you put your mind to. Others may not believe in your or your skills or your knowledge but who cares what other people think – prove them wrong !!!! Again life is short so why have small goals, think big, put the work in and live your dream life?