Learning to manage a 20-strong team – Margarita's story
Margarita moved to the UK from Lithuania in 2012. After a year of factory work, she started working in hotels and since then has worked her way up from cleaner to supervisor to her position today as Housekeeping Manager at Castle Collection, a chain of luxury apartments across Liverpool City Centre.
After three years at Castle Collection, Margarita asked for a qualification to back up her experience – that's when General Manager, Gemma, pointed her towards The Learning Foundry.
We caught up with Margarita, her manager, Gemma and Development Coach, Sue, to see how she’s getting on:
“So, I’m currently studying for my Level 3 Team Leader/ Supervisor Apprenticeship, managing my 19-person housekeeping team and 71 apartments in Liverpool City Centre.
“Every year I’ve worked for Castle Collection, we kept gaining more and more apartments, which meant my team got bigger and bigger, and I felt like I was missing something – skills, knowledge.
“I went straight to my manager, Gemma, and asked for help, and she directed me to The Learning Foundry. It’s not easy at all to learn and do my job at the same time but I know it’s worth it – and I’ll be ready to finish it when the time comes!
“I’ve got all the support I need from The Learning Foundry. My Coach, Sue, is always there if I need anything. I even passed my Level 2 Functional Skills English first time – I was made up!
“I never liked school, I never liked college, I don’t like sitting in one place and watching the board. This qualification gives me the opportunity to get the theoretical knowledge and apply it straight away – much better than school!
“I’d tell anyone thinking about getting a management qualification to just go for it. Everything you learn is so useful, just do it.”
Margarita’s manager and General Manager of Castle Collection, Gemma, has always been an advocate for apprenticeships, completing qualifications from Level 2 to Level 5, and is even supporting her daughter through an apprenticeship with The Learning Foundry. She says:
“It’s unreal to have Margarita as part of my team. I feel like she is there supporting me – and helping me manage the business!
“Margarita has made her role her own. She is confident in her position managing a diverse team, tackling difficult issues such as Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and even corrects me on my mistakes.
“Apprenticeships really do open doors for people, and it’s great to see Margarita flourish.”
Margarita’s Development Coach, Sue, has seen Margarita’s progress from the very start:
“I remember how daunted she was by the first assignment, but by working together, putting in extra sessions, we’ve come such a long way – her passing her English first time shows just that!
“From being so shy in our first session, month on month Margarita became more and more confident taking on high level tasks like implementing change management theories across the company and writing strategies.
“She absorbs information and wants to improve her skills for herself and the business – she's the ideal learner.”
Congratulations, Margarita!
Want to know more about leadership and management opportunities available at The Learning Foundry? Click here!