CHRISTINA:

Christina Ratcliffe

Degree: BA (hons) – History; University of Leicester
Joined Stagecoach: 2005
Current position: Operations Manager, Torquay & Paignton

“I looked at a number of Graduate schemes, but Stagecoach stood out for me. I wanted to join a programme that had a clear career path and that offered choices across a wide range of roles; Stagecoach offered this level of variety coupled with the certainty of well thought through support structures. It also offered a role that wasn’t desk-bound around a 9 to 5 office job.

My first year in South Wales certainly didn't disappoint. I'd speak to friends who work for other graduate employers and they'd be amazed at how much I’d done so soon.

Whilst working for a multi-national company, I feel like part of a big family. All the graduates meet up regularly on courses (and socially) and we network with senior managers and directors as early exposure to high-level business planning and strategy.

What I love is the buzz and energy around the business, I couldn't begin to tell you what an average day is like, no day is “average” and you're never bored. Responsibility comes early on, and you have a safety net of managers around you. This enables you to move forward with confidence knowing that mistakes will be picked up before they cause a problem and that you will be able to learn from them. And, of course, you have the support and advice of your mentor.

I'm now Operations Manager at a large depot in the South West, and I manage almost 300 drivers over two sites. It's a big step up in responsibility, but after the intensity of the first two years I'm fully prepared for the challenges involved. And, because I enjoy what I do so much, the days just go in a flash."