Reece

What attracted you to the Reece Merchandising Graduate Program, and why did you choose Reece?

I was attracted to the Reece Merchandising Graduate Program because it offered a structured pathway within a large and reputable organisation, while also being a part of a graduate cohort. The program stood out as it combines practical experiences from branch, exposing me to different parts of the business while also giving me the opportunity to work in a marketing and merchandising role following on from my University studies.

How did your first 12 months in branch prepare you for a career in merchandising?

The first 12 months in branch helped prepare me for a career in merchandising by being giving me firsthand exposure to Reece’s products, customers and day-to-day operations. Being able to work directly with a diverse range of customers including plumbers, builders and retail customers, helped me understand their needs and what they value in Reece’s products and services.

My time in branch also allowed me to learn all about Reece’s products, brands and processes. These new learnings can then be applied in my future merchandising role by seeing how merchandising decisions impact the operations side of the business. Being in various branches over the 12 months allowed me to make new connections with people throughout Reece which will remain valuable throughout my career.

What have you learned from working directly with customers that has changed the way you think about products and commercial decisions?

Working directly with a diverse range of customers from plumbers to builders to retail customers, has helped me understand their needs, priorities and buying behaviours. It has shown me that commercial decisions involve much more than simply selecting products. Factors such as product availability, quality, reliability, service and brand reputation influence the customer’s perceived value.

This experience has changed the way I think about merchandising by reinforcing the importance of customer-focused decisions. Understanding various factors helped me appreciate the balance between meeting customer expectations and achieving commercial objectives.

How do you feel the program is preparing you for your future career in merchandising?

This program is preparing me for my future career in merchandising by allowing me to immerse myself in various branches to develop a strong understanding of the products, customers and operations. The combination of branch placements and graduate merchandising days has given me exposure to Reece from multiple perspectives, helping me understand both customer-facing and commercial sides. The product and customer knowledge gained in branch and insights into various projects from days in The Works has helped me see how merchandising decisions impact customers, branches and overall business performance. It has also enabled me to connect key customer needs with commercial outcome, which is a key aspect of merchandising.

In three words, describe Reece.

Innovative, customer-focused, collaborative

Is there anything else you'd like future candidates to know about the Reece Graduate Program?

Immerse yourself in each branch you have the opportunity to work in, ask many questions and be curious, as this time is important when you start your merchandising role!

What attracted you to the Reece Retail Leadership Graduate Program, and why did you choose Reece? 

What attracted me most was the opportunity to learn different areas of the business while working towards a leadership role. I liked that the program was hands-on and gave exposure to real customers, products and operations. Reece also stood out because of its strong culture and the focus it places on developing and promoting from within. It felt like a place where I could build a long-term career while continuing to learn and challenge myself.

What has surprised you most since joining the business? 

What has surprised me most since joining the business is how supportive everyone is. Even though Reece is a large business, I've never felt like just a number. People genuinely care about your development and are always willing to take the time to answer questions, offer advice, and help you learn. From my manager to the wider team, everyone wants to see you succeed, which has made settling into the role and building confidence a lot easier.

What have you learned during your first few months in branch? 

I've learned a lot, from product knowledge and customer service through to account management and relationship building. One of the biggest things has been learning how important communication is and how much of an impact you can have by building strong relationships with customers, suppliers and your team.

How have your manager, team and branch helped you develop so far? 

My manager has been supportive throughout my time in the program. She pushes me to challenge myself and take on opportunities I might not have otherwise gone for, which has helped build my confidence. Knowing she backs me and wants to see me succeed has made a big difference in my development.

What advice would you give someone thinking about applying for the program?

Be willing to learn, ask questions and get involved in everything you can. You don't need to know everything from day one. If you have a positive attitude and are open to stepping outside your comfort zone, you'll get a lot out of the program and the opportunities it provides.

In three words, describe Reece.

Supportive, Encouraging, Rewarding

What have you learned from working in branch during your first few months?

The biggest lesson I've learned in my first few months in branch is the importance of building customer relationships for life. At its core, Reece is committed to putting customers first and delivering the best possible experience every time they interact with us. Whether it's providing great service, demonstrating strong product knowledge, or ensuring customers have the products they need when they need them, it all comes back to the "Works for You" philosophy. I've also learned the importance of teamwork. At Reece, success is built on collaboration between branch staff, customers, support teams, and warehouse teams. Everyone plays a role in delivering the best outcome for the customer. Another key learning has been adaptability. Every customer is different and requires a different approach. Taking the time to understand each person's needs and adjusting how you communicate can make a significant difference in building trust and creating long-term relationships.

How has branch experience helped you better understand our customers, products and the wider business?

Working in branch has given me a much deeper understanding of our customers by allowing me to see their needs and challenges firsthand. I've learned that customers aren't simply buying products; they're looking for solutions that help them complete their jobs efficiently and effectively. This experience has also helped me develop my product knowledge and gain a better understanding of how different products are used across a variety of applications. As a result, I'm now better equipped to guide customers who may be unsure of what they need and provide advice that helps them find the right solution for the job.

What advice would you give someone considering applying for the Merchandising Graduate Program?

My advice would be simple: give it a crack. If your first thought is, "I know nothing about plumbing," you're not alone. Most Reece people will tell you they knew very little about the industry before joining Reece. What matters is your willingness to learn. Reece is a market-leading company in a fantastic industry, and throughout your journey you'll meet great people, build valuable skills, and could contribute to some incredible projects. If you're willing to get involved and embrace new challenges, it's an opportunity you won't regret.

In three words, describe Reece.

Rewards your ambition.

Extra things I would like grads to know:

One thing I'd like future graduates to know is that Reece encourages you to get involved, try new things, and make the most of every opportunity that comes your way. The more curious and proactive you are, the more you'll learn. You're also encouraged to make mistakes and learn from them. Mistakes are some of the most valuable learning experiences because they teach you how to handle situations better the next time around. Growth comes from being willing to step outside your comfort zone, take ownership, and continuously improve. Take the leap, back yourself, and give everything a go. The experience and lessons you'll gain are well worth it.

What attracted you to the Reece Retail Leadership Graduate Program, and why did you choose Reece? 

I was attracted to the Reece Leadership Grad Program because it offered a very hands-on experience and provides opportunities for professional growth and development. I wanted a program that would allow me to develop both my leadership skills and commercial skills in a supportive and practical environment.

I also chose Reece because of its strong reputation, people first focused culture and commitment to developing strong future leaders. Another thing that stood out to me was the opportunity to learn every aspect of the business, while also being able to gain firsthand experience from different areas of operations and support.

What has surprised you most since joining the business? 

Since joining the business, what surprised me most was the culture and supportive environment. Despite being a large business, it feels like a family business where teammates support one another and celebrate each other’s success. Everyone is approachable regardless of experience level and willing to share their knowledge. This made it easy for me to learn, ask questions and feel like part of the team from day one. I would say Reece is a business that invest heavily in its people in terms of career progression and development.

What have you learned during your first few months in branch? 

During my first few months in branch, I have been able to learn more about the business on a practical level. I have had the opportunity to learn more about the day to day operations that keep a branch running smoothly and have also developed a better understanding of the wide range of products. One of the biggest lessons I have learnt is how important communication and relationship building are in this business. This includes helping customers find the right solution, collaborating with suppliers and supporting each other.

How have your manager, team and branch helped you develop so far? 

My manager and team have played a massive role in my development over the past few months that I have been here. They have provided me with guidance, regular feedback and opportunities for me to take on new challenges. They have been supportive in helping me to build confidence and develop those foundational skills.

For example, my manager Matt has been a very supportive and encouraging leader. He provided me with guidance, as well as invested a lot of time in helping me understand the basics of the business and the importance of building strong relationships.

My 2IC, Steve, has also been incredibly supportive and proactive in checking on my progress and offering help when needed. My other team members Rhys and Ryan are always approachable and willing to share their knowledge, where I have never felt hesitant to ask questions to my team.

What advice would you give someone thinking about applying for the program? 

One piece of advice I would give someone thinking about applying for the program is to be open-minded and willing to learn. The program gives you exposure to different business units and therefore you should take every opportunity to ask questions, build relationships and learn from those around you. I would also say don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone as some of my most valuable experiences have come from taking on new challenges and seeking opportunities to grow. If you don’t have any industry experience, I would not worry because as long as you bring a positive attitude, strong work ethic and willingness to learn, it will help you get most out of the program

In three words, describe Reece.

Collaborative, supportive and fun

Is there anything else you'd like future candidates to know about the Reece Graduate Program?

The Reece Graduate Program is a great opportunity to gain practical skills. You will be challenged, supported and given many opportunities to grow.

What attracted you to the Reece Retail Leadership Graduate Program, and why did you choose Reece? 

I was attracted to the Graduate Program at Reece because of the long-term growth opportunities and the chance to develop my leadership skills in a completely new industry 

What has surprised you most since joining the business? 

How welcoming and helpful everyone is, including my managers, team, and even the plumbers I interact with every day. Everyone is always happy to support my learning in any way they can. 

What have you learned during your first few months in branch? 

I've built a lot of knowledge around the products and industry through serving customers in branch, creating quotes, conducting self-audits, completing stocktake, and running deliveries, and have also developed my leadership, communication, and service skills. 

How have your manager, team and branch helped you develop so far? 

Everyone has been really supportive and willing to help by sharing their knowledge and answering my questions, while also giving me the opportunity to challenge myself. 

What advice would you give someone thinking about applying for the program? 

Be opening to learning new things, ask lots of questions, and get involved in everything. 

In three words, describe Reece.

Welcoming, fast paced, supportive 

Is there anything else you'd like future candidates to know about the Reece Graduate Program?

It is a really great work environment. The Graduate Program provides the opportunity to develop new skills, form new relationships, and build a long term career in an amazing company. 

6:30am

I wake up at 6:30am, and start getting ready for the day. Depending on if I am seeing customers and who the customers are, will dictate what uniform I will wear. I check my calendar to prepare for the day ahead. Today I have 2 customer meetings. My colleague (Jarryd) and I are hosting a site BBQ for a customer at 8am and then I am meeting another customer who is a very funny casual character. For both meetings a Reece Trade Polo shirt would be ideal (If my meeting was in a more formal setting or head office, I would wear an ironed button up Reece shirt).

8:00am

Jarryd and I have arrived at a customer site in Keysborough by 8am to prepare a BBQ for their tradespeople and site managers. After the BBQ, we gave a small speech to the people who attended, thanking the customer for a great year as business partners. This is an important part of being an Account Specialist, doing things for our customers they may not be expecting but highly value. After the clean-up, it’s around 10am so we head back to the office to catch up on some office work.

10:30am

Its 10:30am and time to catch up on some office work. At Reece we flexi-desk so I find the seat which will best suit my purpose for the day. Today I am preparing a quote for and product presentation for a customer so a seat near the other Account Specialists would be best suited in case I have questions. Once I have finished the quote and product selection, I sit down and have lunch with colleagues. After lunch I collect my things and head off to meet the customer I prepared the quote for. I have built a great relationship with this customer and understand his business enough to know how Reece can add value.

2:00pm

Today has been a big day, I get back to the office around 2pm and need a coffee. While all the information is still fresh in my head from the meetings today, I record all customer related information in ‘Salesforce’. Being out of the office for most of the day means that I have not had much time to catch up on emails, so this time must be productive.

4:00pm

At 4:00pm I am hosting a team huddle to discuss how we can reduce waste within our business. We define waste as anything that our customers and people do not value. The meeting was a success with everyone’s ideas going up the ‘War on Waste’ board which we will continue to expand on in the coming weeks.

5:00pm

Before I know it, it’s 5:00pm. I get into my gym gear at work and head off. During work I get a mental exercise then after work I get physical exercise. For me, this is the perfect recipe for a balanced lifestyle, allowing me to tackle every day with enthusiasm and a positive attitude.

5:30am

Sometimes it can be hard getting up early (especially if you’re not a morning person!) but it’s nice to start the day with a coffee & breakfast outside in the sunshine before getting ready to come to work.

7:30am

I like spending my mornings planning the day and getting started on jobs I may be working on (all fuelled by a few coffees of course!). Our store is generally very busy in the mornings with plumbers stopping by on the way to their jobs to collect materials. I also like to tackle any reports in the mornings before getting too busy in the day’s activities.

2:00pm

Afternoons include a routine desk tidy to keep my workspace clean and logical as it can sometimes get overwhelming and hectic in branch. The ability to multi-task in the Reece Group is an important skill to acquire. Our afternoons can also get quite busy with plumbers grabbing materials. The afternoon can be spent in the branch, out doing customer development, training staff & serving customers.

5:30pm

I look forward to getting home after finishing work to see my fiancé Zak & our two dogs, Ava & Zuri. I like to cook something yummy for dinner and spend the rest of the evening on the couch watching sports, movies or Netflix and playing games with the dogs.

6:00am

My alarm goes off. Lucky, I’m a morning person and there’s no need to hit snooze. I wake myself up by taking my dog for a walk at a nearby park and eating brekky – fruit, yoghurt and granola. I get ready, hop in my car and listen to the radio news for the drive in. It’s Wednesday, so I head to our creative agency for our weekly catch-up.

8:00am

After finding a park in Collingwood, I grab a coffee at a trendy café, check my emails and plan the big day ahead.

8:15am

 

Every morning, we keep a positive rhythm going with our Daily Huddle. This is a stand-up meeting where we go around a circle and talk about our key highlights from the day before, plus what we want to achieve today.

8:30am

The catch-up with our creative agency begins! Today, I’m briefing instore collateral and customer development packs for the upcoming Smart Irrigation Season. This is a campaign where we focus on clever ways to manage water more effectively by using smart products. We require unique designs for posters, flyers, promo items and more. I present to the room and we discuss questions, feedback and the next steps in bringing this vision to life.

10:00am

I stop by the Richmond branch to help set up a new display for our pool equipment brand, Henden. I have a chat to staff and customers about how they’re going. It’s important to connect with our target audience and keep them front of mind. I head over to our Burwood office, organise my desk and settle in.

12:00pm

Lunchtime! I usually heat up my food in the kitchen and hang out with some friends from other teams. I’ve scored well with delicious pasta leftovers from the night before. It’s beautiful and sunny, so we sit outside on the balcony for some fresh air.

12:45pm

I lock in time to explore social content for the Irrigation & Pools Instagram page. This involves liking and commenting on posts we’ve been tagged in and sharing our customers’ amazing outdoor projects. Today, I’m also doing some research into how we can use hashtags more effectively.

1:30pm

Next week, we’re exhibiting at the Splash! Pool & Spa Expo on the Gold Coast. I meet with my Manager to go over the final details. We make a phone call with our stand builder to work out logistics and ensure products and brochures are set to be delivered for the event. Flights are booked and we’re ready to go!

2:00pm

 

I meet with our Internal Communications Advisor to discuss all things Smart Irrigation Season. We go over the key objectives of the campaign and what resources we need to provide our branches with so they can execute it with confidence. We start to develop a timeline and mock up videos that we can create to capture the attention of and inspire our staff.

3:00pm

It’s the Annual Super Bowl Ad Review! To celebrate in true Reece style, we have a fun and interactive session where each member of the team votes for a ‘Touchdown’ or best commercial and a ‘Fumble’ or worst commercial. We exchange thoughts on what worked, what didn’t work and the various learnings we can consider for our own future campaigns.

4:00pm

Next month, we’re running an exclusive tool promo for Landscapers. I put together a list of our customers and build a targeted eDM. After testing the design and links on multiple platforms, I schedule it in to be sent. I update tasks on my Trello board and pack up my things.

5:00pm

As I head home for the day, I put on some upbeat music to lessen the woes of being stuck in peak-hour traffic.

6:00pm

Tonight’s menu is BBQ and salad. After washing the dishes, I enjoy winding down with a cup of peppermint tea and a bit of Brooklyn-99.

6:30am 

This time sees the first attempt of getting up and ready for the work day ahead! The morning routine is almost always aided by music which helps overcome the heavy eyes after waking up. The commute to work (located in Burwood) is currently a 20-minute drive however, with the head office relocation to the more central, Cremorne (Richmond), I am looking forward to the train commute to catch up on podcasts.

8:00am

I aim to get to work by 8:00am to start my day. The kitchen facilities provided at work means that breakfast is usually prepared there and had with colleagues in the main kitchen area. After all the “good mornings” and a quick catch up with the team, the day begins!

8:30am

The initial actions of the morning are all about catching up on emails, overnight security events and network changes that may have occurred the night before to understand next actions.

Working within the Cyber Security Team, the first point of call today is to follow up with the team, how the firmware upgrade of the firewalls went last night. Always good to hear, it was a successful update!

As it is the start of the week, I will be spending most of the morning compiling reports and providing analytics to the team as well as working on a presentation to address a security event that happened late last week.

Provided there are no major incidents during within the network, the day will usually consist of a mixture of the following:

• Project work: Longer planned pieces of work with the aim to accomplish OKRs (Objective Key Results), probably better known as KPIs within other business. These are milestones that we look to complete by the end of the quarter. This can be anything from investigating a new log source into our SIEM (Security Incident Event Monitoring) to introducing a new security platform.
• BAU (Business as usual): These are dynamic pieces of work that pop up during the day and week, that are either initiated by a security event or requests from other teams.
• Meetings: These meetings can be anything from new projects started from other teams that require cyber security advice, discussion and planning of projects or implementation of technical configuration to one of the many platforms managed by the Cyber Security Team.

12:00pm

Discussion amongst the team has begun to understand whether everyone has brought in lunch or whether to head down to some of the local cafes. Today the verdict is souvlaki!

1:00pm

I am now heading over to a meeting to discuss and plan with the networking team surrounding further segmentation of our core network to continually uplift our security posture. One thing that I personally enjoy, is the discussion amongst other teams as I believe it builds up the relationship and helps understanding of how different teams play a part in the bigger picture. Not only this, but it aids understanding to know who to approach with future engagements within the business.

2:00pm

While its fresh in my mind, I like to act on planning out what was discussed in the meeting to implement into the network. Due to the nature of the systems managed within the team, there is always the potential for misconfiguration that can affect the entire network. In order to mitigate the risk as much as possible, I put together a change request that outlines all the aspects that will be created or modified within the systems.

I have scheduled for this change to occur this Thursday after hours.

3:30pm

A large portion towards the end of the today is spent working through our identity management system to help streamline and automate an outdated process. Working closely with a team member, we go through the logical methods available to take to be able to implement, determine which is the best fit for our environment both now and moving forwards as well as begin the configuration within the platform.

This development will ultimately form the new way both computers and users within the network authenticate in a more secure and automated manner allowing for us to move on to the next big thing!

5:30pm

Time to head home! Although I am driving home hitting the peak hour traffic, with the weather coming into summer and music through the speakers, it isn’t too bad.

6:30pm

After getting home and settling in, I look to preparing dinner for the night and relaxing for the rest of the night.

 6:15am

I wake up around 6:15 this morning, as I must prepare my lunch for the day and pack my bag for footy training. My work clothes are ready from the night before which makes the morning much easier. I jump in the shower, brush my teeth, get changed, do my hair and get ready relatively quickly. I take my time to make breakfast and get my lunch ready. Around 7:00am, I make myself a coffee for the road. I double check I have everything I need and I’m out the door at 7:15am. I drive into work against traffic to Doveton so it’s a very easy drive!

7:40am

I walk into work and put my food away ready to start the day and say g’day the boys who have started before me! Usually greeted by some banter I then jump on the computer and check the emails, first the branch emails and then my own work email. We have events logged onto the online calendar for the branch, so we know when people will go out to see customers or have a day off etc. it helps us plan the day.

I then go through my diary to see what I’ve written the previous day. I need to call two customers today about special orders to finalise some details. There is another reminder that I need to release a customer order that must be delivered to site today as well.

Once it quietens down, we have our branch daily huddle. We discuss what we have on for the day and everyone has time to speak about what they have coming up or any issues they would like to raise. We also go through the previous day in terms of budget and other reports. We discuss the targets for the day and the week, while also going through any important reminders for the branch or that’s happening with Reece as a whole.

Of course, if the phone rings or customers come into the branch the huddle is put on hold and we come back to it. After the huddle we have a busy rush of customers again that goes on for about 45 minutes. I call the two customers to grab those final details and release the customer order for delivery for tomorrow.

I go through the stock ordering for the day with the 2IC, Grant, he shows me the most efficient way to order stock without raising stock levels too high, considering minimum quantities and keeping track of average product sales. This will be vital for me to understand for my buying role down the track.

I have a banana and coffee at 11:00am to get me through to lunch.

Around 11:30am I take some time to do the daily stock count, we do it on a phone making it simple and quick. This helps us constantly stay on top of stock levels and makes stocktake a 10x easier!

12:00pm

I go for lunch at 12:30pm today and I have left overs from dinner last night, its steak and broccoli so I’m not complaining! Other days lunch could be tuna salad if I’m in a rush which is not as interesting!

When I return from lunch our warehouse and supplier stock has arrived. We double check and receipt the stock to make sure everything’s correct, then put it away. This is always important as some stock will be for customer orders and some will be just replenishment, so it’s always vital to double check.

Around 1:45pm the Branch Manager, Dean, takes some time to run me through the reports for the branch, providing more of an insight into different aspects and sections of the business. Dean specifies the reports that will be relevant to me when I go into head office for my merchandising role in few months.

Dean then reviews my progress for the Start, Stop, Keep program. It’s a review of goals that I have previously set and want to fulfil while at work. I had previously set them in September so now we review how I’m going and if I have achieved them. For example, we review my ‘Start being more punctual arriving to work earlier’. As someone who is goal driven I appreciate these opportunities to work on myself at work and on a personal level.

I take some time to go through a self-audit check for the store, making sure that everything is done correctly, appropriate signage is up and labelled etc. These are vital to keep the store in an appropriate manner, ensure procedures are followed, safety is maintained, and we are ready for when we are audited.

3:30pm

At 3:30pm I speak to a customer on the phone about a hard to find part for an evaporative cooler he is chasing. I call multiple suppliers to locate the part to try and find the best price for him and turnover time. After locating the part, I send him through a quote and call him to make sure he receives it.

In the quieter parts of the day I run through previous Marketing Updates, so I can further familiarise myself with categories and brands I’ll be working with in the future.

At 4:30pm we make sure the branch is clean and I write down in my diary what I have on for the next day. At 4:45pm I do the banking which usually takes about 10-15 minutes.

5:00pm,time to go! 

We all say goodbye and make our way home. Today I have footy training, so I head towards Kew! Takes about 50 minutes in traffic now that I know which way to go, I’ve learnt that through trial and error…

After a decent training, I head home arriving at 8:30pm. I quickly have something to eat and have a shower. Tonight for dinner we have grilled fish and salad (so a good day food wise). This is late for me to eat but I don’t get a choice when I have footy! Over dinner I spend some time with the family speaking about our workdays and catching up. After dinner I prepare food for the next day and get my uniform ready. I put my gym clothes in a bag ready for the next day as well. I’m a bit more prepared this time.

I brush my teeth and jump into bed at 9:30pm and watch an episode of David Attenborough- Planet Earth II on Netflix, and relax after a long day. It’s a such an interesting show to watch and always seem to fascinate me every new episode I watch. I set my alarm for 5:30am the next morning so I can go to the gym before work (Wish me luck….)

I check my phone and it says 10:30pm…. Time for bed, another big day awaits.

6:30am 

Good morning! After waking up I prepare my breakfast and get ready for the day.

7:30am

I leave my house and travel to the Reece Support Centre.

8:00am

After reaching the office, I always have a wonderful welcome from reception.

Every morning, before I open the lid of my laptop, I fuel up my body with some caffeine.

Then I start my work!

9:00am

Time for our quick 10-minute stand-up meeting where the whole team, along with Digital Marketing team, shares their progress. (Kai says hello as he had joined in from home). Today we discussed about a new project.

12:00pm

Lunch time! I walk over to the local café for a delicious bagel.

2:00pm

After lunch, it’s time for my second coffee of the day where I see my manager and have some casual discussions with him.

3:00pm

I visit our NDC (National Distribution Centre) today with my team to gather requirements for the new project I was working on earlier today.

4:00pm

After our trip to the NDC, Lily and I work on a feature in the new mobile app which we discussed in today’s stand-up meeting. Usually one of us does the programming while the other keeps an eye for mistakes. This is called pair-programming.

5:00pm

That’s all for today! Time to pack up and head to the gym then prepare some egg fried rice with chicken Manchurian!

Every day is different in the first year of the Marketing Program at The Reece Group. In your first year as a graduate you are based in the branch system to learn the company’s culture, values, policies and procedures, the various products, customers and their needs as well as the various strategic business units. I am currently based at their Actrol Refrigeration branch Mulgrave. Below is a rough insight to my typical day.

5:00am

Every morning my first alarm would go off at 5:00am. I get up and start my day, packing everything I need and have breakfast before heading to my local gym for a quick workout.

8:00am

I start work at 8:00am and begin my morning by checking the ‘Work in Progress’ screen for any outstanding items from suppliers or upcoming orders that are due. I then check my personal work email for graduate updates as well as the branch emails for any orders.

10:00am

Around 10:00am we hold our daily ‘huddle’, a meeting in the branch with all the staff. These meetings cover any news items, how the branch is going in budget, any big projects or coming up as well as quarterly themes for the business.

1:00pm

On this day, I caught up with Adam, Branch Manager of Reece Plumbing Box Hill. I began my Reece journey at that branch; as such, Adam has been a big influence on my time with the Reece Group and has been a valuable mentor. It was also great to catch up with the other branch staff there as I spent my first 6 months of the Graduate Program at the Box Hill branch.

2:00pm

I was able to go out to site with Shaun from Actrol Mulgrave to deliver 730 kg of R134a refrigerant to a customer. The customer was pumping gas into a portable refrigeration unit which was to be sent to Northern Australia to service a mine.

5:00pm

I finish work in the branch at 5:00pm. After work I usually head home unless I have dinner plans with friends or social sport on that evening. As soon as I get home, I make dinner and either watch some Netflix or read a book.