Charlie Fry’s Progression Story
Where did your career begin?
In Charlie’s words: Before igus® I was studying for my A-Levels during COVID times, studying Maths, Computer Science & Psychology. University wasn’t a route I was looking to pursue, and as my brother had done an apprenticeship and was still working for his job 4 years later, I wanted to do the same. Luckily, I got in contact with Starting Off, an apprenticeship agency that helped me to start my career at igus®.
Your journey at igus® so far
October 18th 2021, was my first day at igus. Starting off in the operations department, doing my Business Administration Apprenticeship (Level 3). After 7 months, a member of our internal sales team was moving towards an external role, and so a position had opened up. Working in order processing, I had some experience with our energy chain & chainflex systems, and was approached about the role.
After some thought and discussion, I was moving over to the sales team! Admittedly very nervous about the role, but excited for the change – still pursuing my apprenticeship but gaining more technical knowledge on products.
In July 2023, I had my final end point assessment and was informed I had passed in August! This marked the end of my apprenticeship but not the end of new experiences and learning opportunities as I move into the Engineering Projects department.
My attendance in the yearly ABTT convention saw me exposed to the world of theatre, meeting lots of contacts face-to-face that I had only ever spoken with online. It was great to see the depth of connections that people within the industry have, and that we at igus® have with various customers.
I have experienced various challenges throughout my career at igus – during my time in the internal sales department I had worked with the Aerospace industry and its high-profile clients. This industry has lots of standards and approvals that need to be met, I found this quite challenging to work with, double and triple checking my specifications to ensure they were up to standard. I was able to develop my confidence over time with the help of my colleagues at igus® which I’ve carried with me into everything I’m involved in now.
What do you like about igus®?
When first looking for a job, one of my main concerns was looking for somewhere with room for career development, and progression within the company, and this really shined through with igus®. In my time here, I have been able to take various opportunities to develop into new roles, each a more demanding task but with a more rewarding outcome.
igus® also has an excellent support network, people having worked for igus upwards of 20+ years with the patience and skills to help mentor those of us who started the role without a broad knowledge base in the industry.
The roles I have undertaken have challenged me; with a variety of skills I’ve had to master to progress. I think if Charlie of 3 years ago was to look at the extent of responsibilities I now undertake and the technical requirements I understand, he would be in awe of how well igus® has helped me develop in such a short time frame.
What’s the end goal?
I am now in a new role in the Engineering Projects department, and so I am currently focussed on seeing how much I can develop my skills, from project management to technical specifications & everything in-between.
I’m not entirely sure where my journey will take me next, but I’d like to look into delving further into specific industries as I had done in the internal sales role, but on a larger scale!
