Working with Mondrem: Alexis's experience
Posted on 7th November 2023 at 12:39
Alexis is our Sustainable Projects Lead and Business Support. She joined Mondrem Group as part-time Nurture CIC Projects Co-ordinator and recent Keele University graduate in July 2023. Since then, Alexis has become an integral member of our team, supporting our business operations far beyond her initial responsibilities. I caught up with her following her first three months to hear about her experience with us so far...
“I was at a real crossroads” Alexis tells me. Upon completing her undergraduate degree in Geography, she faced the familiar ‘graduation anxiety’: “I struggled with the lack of certainty, I felt like I had lots of opportunities but didn’t know what was the ‘right’ thing to do”. That’s when Mondrem Group Chief Executive Mike reached out to Alexis on LinkedIn to ask her to support our CSR-as-a-service based not-for-profit, Nurture CIC. “I thought, this is incredible!”, she laughs, “a graduate job, in something I really care about, handed to me on a plate?!”
Alexis is a purpose-driven human. “Learning about tackling the climate crisis could feel quite disheartening at times” she explains of her experience as a student with deep concern for the state of our planet. “There was lots of negativity and confusion, we had to relearn things we thought we knew because the situation was changing so quickly”. But Alexis didn’t let what she couldn’t do get in the way of her passion to make a difference. “I’ve always been interested in understanding how things work”, she explains, “because by understanding problems I can unpick those negatives and turn them into positive action”. A great example of this is Alexis’s undergraduate dissertation about the lived experiences of people using electric vehicles. The reason being, in her words “to identify people’s lifelong habits and work out how to change for a more sustainable future”.
“We often talk about education being the best place for change. Through my role with Nurture, I can promote sustainable everyday consumption and lifestyle practices. I believe that if everyone changes one habit in their life, it will have a positive feedback reaction”
This drive to make a difference is reflected throughout the work Alexis does with Mondrem Group. Keeping a keen eye on our operations to help us to be more sustainable and efficient, she impressed us so much that we offered her a permanent, full-time position supporting our businesses more widely after just 8-weeks.
“Supporting business operations alongside my role of Sustainable Projects Lead felt tricky at first as I didn’t have much experience” she observes. “There’s often a stereotype that employers are scary and unapproachable, especially if you don’t have the experience they want, so I was a little apprehensive”. But Alexis need not have worried – we have been blown away by her organised, process-focussed, action-orientated approach which continues to have a positive impact on everything we do.
“I found that stereotype to be far from the truth at Mondrem!”, she laughs. Alexis tells me about the value of open communication within the team and being given new responsibilities alongside permission to make mistakes during our chat: “I felt like I was treated as a human being; I don’t think I could have started my career in such a friendly and understanding workplace culture”.
“My new role means I can execute projects that I am interested in, and I have the responsibility to adapt them in the future. That ‘free rein’ is professionally satisfying to me and helps me to feel a sense of importance and achievement. It combines my personal interests as well as the company’s and, most importantly, our customers wellbeing and workplace sustainability”
We are delighted to hear it! Alexis continues to inspire us with her commitment to sustainability and her organised, astute eye on all that we do – she helps us to be our best selves. After our first three months’ working with her, we are incredibly excited about what the future might hold – we've got a good feeling.
To learn more about what we do, please get in touch: www.talkwithus@mondrem.co.uk
Find out how we create nurturing workplaces where graduates and early-careers employees can thrive: www.mondrem.co.uk/little-orange/
Tagged as: education, employability, employerability, graduate jobs, graduate roles, innovation, leadership, Mondrem, students, university
Share this post: