S2E2 - Discovering the Next Generation - Sophia Drury & Olivia Dart

This episode is all about the next generation. We're joined by Olivia and Sophia from Frocester Group, two 19-year-olds we met at the Workplace Event who are just starting out in FM. Sophia joined Frocester Group straight from school at 16, when the business had just four employees. She completed a business administration apprenticeship and has since moved from the service desk into operations, and now into fire. Olivia studied psychology, criminology and law at college before joining Frocester in September as a marketing apprentice. She now runs the company's social media and events. In this episode we talk about: \- Going straight into work at 16 vs going to college first \- Why picking up the phone (and meetings) can feel so daunting for a new generation \- Being young and female in a male-dominated fire and security world \- The barriers young people face: qualifications, experience and the cost  of university \- Why apprenticeships and hiring based on a conversation, not a CV, work \- Leadership, culture and growing with a family business If you enjoyed it, please like, comment, share and subscribe. There's plenty more to come this season. 00:00 Welcome back & introducing Olivia and Sophia 03:07 Olivia's route: from college to marketing 04:17 Sophia's route: straight from school at 16 04:48 Work vs further education 07:12 Competing as a smaller business: it's all about relationships 08:12 Sophia's apprenticeship and early days on the service desk 09:49 Why picking up the phone is so daunting 13:10 Meetings, nerves and the love of email 14:53 Industry events & ending up at the wrong one 18:50 Career progression: from service to operations to fire 20:25 Young women in a male-dominated industry (and golf days) 21:45 Olivia's marketing apprenticeship 26:03 Biggest challenge: organising events 28:58 The challenge of being heard 30:41 Is Gen Z really work-shy? 31:00 Sponsor: Bidwells 32:12 Responding to the critics: "Cinderella's shoe didn't fit everyone" 34:28 How hard it is to land a first job 36:12 Youth unemployment and the qualifications barrier 37:18 "I don't want to see your CV" 39:20 Covid, interviews and alternative routes 40:54 Is university worth the debt? 45:30 Why universities should offer degrees in FM, fire and security 47:08 Difficult clients and subcontractors 48:41 Building a thicker skin 51:01 Rapid growth at Frost Security 52:05 Family culture, ski trips and team spirit 55:06 Why good leadership matters 57:02 Wrap-up This episode is sponsored by Bidwells. Bidwells is a leading UK real estate advisor. It works in the sectors that will shape the future: science and technology, sustainability and modern living. It was the first property consultancy in the UK to become a certified B Corp. Its 600+ experts manage over £5.2bn in property assets and advise on more than 4 million acres of UK countryside and coastline. It has been doing this for nearly 200 years and still works with many of its original clients. If you want property advice built for new technology, climate change and the people who use your buildings, visit Bidwells: https://www.bidwells.co.uk #facilitiesmanagement #fmx #bidwells #totalpestcontrol #nextgeneration #apprenticeships #firesafety #security #careers #genz Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/fmx20\_25 LinkedIn: / https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-facilities-management-exchange/ Email: reuben@fm-exchange.com