The road from politics to logistics

“When I started at Tesco, I was placed in the Engineering team, working to convert the organisation’s online van delivery vehicles to electric. Much to my surprise, I loved it – I had enjoyed technology and science at school, but this role gave me a chance to learn a host of new things from scratch, and I really enjoyed it. Since completing the graduate programme, I have now joined the team as Fleet and Innovation Support Manager, and the past year and a half has flown by – I’ve loved it!”

Evie can see parallels between her original ambitions of becoming a politician and where she has ended up:

I’m always trying to find solutions to problems and every day I’m working to make a difference

“I always wanted to make a real impact, working with people, and although my current role sounds very different, it’s still fair to say that no two days are the same. I’m always trying to find solutions to problems and every day I’m working to make a difference, which really makes me feel like my work has value.”

“Tesco operates one of the biggest vehicle fleets in the UK, so the challenge of decarbonising it is a significant one. Much of what I do now is networking, exploring innovative technologies and new solutions that might help us reach our final goal of a fully decarbonised fleet by 2035. It’s fair to say that my younger self never considered a role like this, but it is way more exciting and enjoyable than I could have imagined when I started. While it’s important to follow your dreams, my advice to anyone starting out on the career ladder is to be flexible and be conscious that you might not have dreamed up your ideal job just yet.”

With such high level targets to achieve, it’s fair to say that Evie’s role has a direct impact on the world around us:

“30% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the food sector. Tesco has set ambitious climate targets which I am lucky enough to be a part of working to achieve – my role looks at our Scope 1 emissions that are created from Tesco’s own activities. Due to the size and scope of our distribution network, fully decarbonised, our fleet would make a huge difference to the emissions produced. We already have some electric HGVs on fleet and are looking to trial other alternative fuels. Seeing the impact that these vehicles alone can have on our carbon figures makes me excited for the savings that are yet to come.”

Working in such a challenging and wide ranging area, it could have been easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of information being passed on to a new recruit – but as Evie explains, the support she has received has helped her understand how her role fits into the wider picture:

“Tesco has been great at setting us up with loads of learning and training which I’ve always found really useful. I try to make the most of the online courses available and have recently had some in person manager training days which have also been hugely insightful. I’ve been lucky enough to cross paths with some of Tesco’s Directors and have been grateful for their willingness to share and offer me advice based on their wealth of experience.”

Be inquisitive and ask questions [..] everyone in the industry is constantly learning

For many businesses, the transition to decarbonisation is still in its infancy: as opportunities increase, Evie has advice for those considering careers in the sector:

“Be inquisitive and ask questions, the path to decarbonisation isn’t clear yet so everyone in the industry is constantly learning. There are so many new exciting technologies emerging so in preparation for a role like mine, read about what’s on offer and get excited about the future! I’d also mention that I applied for my Tesco Internship during my first year at university, which ultimately led to me joining the Grad Scheme, and then getting the role I’m in now. Don’t wait until your final year of university to look for a job, look for opportunities as soon as you can and this will help you massively when deciding what you ultimately want to do.”

“There are so many roles out there, many of which you might not even of heard of. Be patient and see where the journey takes you because you might find a love for something you never thought you would.”

Finally, Evie takes inspiration from a famous face – Sir Richard Branson.

“While this might sound a little predictable, the fact that he has had a huge amount of success, he has a reputation of being very down to earth, despite his fortune and fame. He tried and failed many times, and I find his self-made success inspiring.”