21 Years of Growth: Embracing Change and Opportunity at Vodafone

One of my favourite parts of working at Vodafone is that it is always changing.  Every day is different. I have been here for over 20 years now and I feel like there is still lots for me to achieve and learn. 

I am grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way here. I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in many big and exciting projects, including one of the largest technology projects Vodafone UK has ever delivered. I was part of the team that designed, built, and delivered training to over five thousand people on a new customer management system, which meant plenty of travel and spending time in South Africa, Egypt, and India working with our offshore contact centres. 

In my current role, as Senior Manager for Digital Learning and Engagement, I’m responsible for our learning platforms. I look after the content we host, and the experience our employees have when accessing our learning resources, and I get to work with people from across the whole organisation based in many different countries. I am so passionate about creating a positive learning experience for everyone who works at Vodafone.  

In the beginning…

21 years ago, I was at uni and decided to get a part-time role in the Vodafone call centre near me. I found I really enjoyed working for the organisation. The culture was great, the people I worked with were incredibly supportive, and some of them ended up becoming lifelong friends, 

I was also impressed by the opportunities for career progression and development. After completing my studies, I transitioned into a full-time role and since then, I haven’t stopped taking on different opportunities and experiences within the company. Vodafone has always been committed to investing in its employees and providing opportunities for growth, and that has kept me motivated and engaged throughout my career here. 

All of my role changes came about because I saw an opportunity, whether it was a secondment or just a new role that interested me, and took the leap and applied. It’s always worth trying! My first move came after I’d been working full-time for a few months and decided to apply for a secondment to the frontline training team. I received a huge amount of support during that transition, to develop the skills and knowledge required to be able to design and deliver training to the frontline teams. 

Grow with Vodafone

As I have moved roles within the learning team, both in the UK and globally, I’ve not only been sent on various courses and workshops by Vodafone to enhance my skills and knowledge, but I have had amazing managers who have supported and encouraged me to embrace new things. This is what has enabled me again and again to gain valuable experience and expertise in a range of areas in my field. 

My role now is a global one, with a lot of focus on introducing new digital learning partners. I love that we are able to offer all employees access to great learning content from Skillsoft, MIT Horizon and Harvard. I have also been part of the implementation team for a new learning management system, which has transformed the way we deliver and track learning across the business. It’s been a really exciting project and has allowed me to work closely with teams across the globe to ensure a smooth and successful rollout. 

One thing I’m particularly proud of is our Grow with Vodafone platform. You create a personalised profile (skills, experience, interests etc.) and it then recommends roles, careers, projects, and learning to you. It’s a great way to find opportunities that are outside your direct area. I will be using it myself well into the future because I plan to continue exploring different opportunities within Vodafone and it’s a perfect tool to guide my own career progression. 

Say yes 

My decision to join Vodafone 21 years ago has proven to be a great one. I think key to that has been my openness, saying yes to new projects or role possibilities, which is why I always tell people they should be curious and look beyond their immediate teams. Keep an eye on the internal Vodafone career portal. There are often specific secondments on there that align with your interests and goals. Don’t wait to start building your skills for roles you’re interested in, either. You can start any time by being proactive and seeking out relevant training and professional development opportunities.

I also advise creating a network in the areas you are interested in. I found out about many of the jobs I ultimately took up through people I had connected with. Vodafone is a huge organisation with many areas you can go into. Your skills will be transferable across many of them so it’s up to you to find the connections and opportunities, and take the steps to prepare yourself to make a successful switch.

I feel excited when I think about my future here. I am confident that Vodafone will continue to support my development and I’m looking forward to discovering what else I can do to contribute to their success!