Jardine Academy graduates reflect on their career journey so far

To celebrate National Career Development Month, Jardine Academy graduates have shared their career journey so far, their Jardine Academy experience, and what’s next for them.

At Jardine Motors we’re passionate about providing our colleagues with the tools to learn, develop their skills, and progress their career. We recognise everyone learns differently and each journey is unique, so we provide a range of learning opportunities to help our colleagues unlock their full potential.

The Jardine Academy is a 12-month brand aligned programme designed to introduce new colleagues to our business and the automotive industry. Throughout the course, delegates receive a wealth of training around brand, product and how to deliver an outstanding customer experience. To read more about life at Jardine Motors Group, head to our careers page.

Trinity Osborne, Senior Sales Executive at Porsche Centre Cambridge 

It’s been almost four years since I started with Jardine Academy. I’ve since become a Senior Sales Executive, which was a personal goal of mine. I’ve also been involved in extra opportunities outside of my day-to-day role; the Academy was a fantastic opportunity to expand my skills and it’s great to be able to continue this after graduating. 

I’ve spoken at a local school about my journey so far in the automotive industry, helping to inspire young adults to join the industry. I’m also proud to be a member of the ‘Bright Sparks’, which involves being a go-to expert on all-things electric vehicle-related. I’m the HLS representative and am on-hand should any customers or colleagues need any EV-related assistance. 

Since starting the Jardine Academy I’ve really grown in confidence, as it gave me the time I needed to get to know all the elements of my role in an industry that was so new to me. The support we received was invaluable, from our trainer, mentor, and fellow members of the cohort; there was always someone to turn to if you needed guidance.

I’m going to continue growing in my current role for the foreseeable future as I’m really enjoying it. I’m reaching the stage now where I’m starting to see repeat customers come back again and again – some of which were my first ever since graduating from the Academy! I’d also be keen to become a mentor for any future Academy cohorts; I received so much help and support and I’d love to pass that on.

Jay Peterson, Group Accountant

I was in the very first cohort of the Jardine Academy back in 2017. I applied for the Academy because it looked like a great opportunity to join the automotive industry despite having no prior experience.

The support you receive upon joining is incredible, you gain access to a highly experienced team who take genuine interest in you - providing all the necessary tools and advice to help set you up for success.

One aspect I particularly enjoyed about the Jardine Academy was the learning group sizes. They are kept relatively small which makes each training day feel more personable and creates an excellent learning environment. Each of the training modules are carefully structured to help you master all key aspects of the customer journey.

After an enjoyable 3 years in sales, I decided I wanted to further develop my commercial skills by exploring the financial side of the business. Thanks to the fantastic support network within Jardine Motors, I secured the role of Assistant Accountant in our Head Office team. Just over a year later I then progressed into my current role as Group Accountant.

The experience I gained from the Jardine Academy has played a huge part in my career development and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity. I would confidently recommend the Jardine Academy to anyone considering a career in the automotive sector, as the training received and skills you gain are second to none!