Here at Premier Forecourts and Construction, we really value the dedication, loyalty, and hard work that our staff put in for us and our clients. One team member who really encompasses the Premier Forecourts and Construction ethos is Stuart Trew – who is celebrating ten years as a full-time employee of the business.
Stuart began with us as a junior contracts manager in January 2011. Since then, his role has progressed from one of shadowing and supporting the established contracts managers, learning the processes and skills needed, to taking on the full responsibility of his current role – that of Senior Contracts Manager, overseeing many of our larger and more complex projects.
Before joining us as a junior contracts manager, Stuart had worked for the company (then known as CNC) as a general labourer. He had no industry qualifications at the time but seized the opportunity to learn and progress.
Over the years, Stuart developed his skills, gaining qualifications from in-house and external training courses, swiftly progressing to a site manager position.
Reflecting on his start with the company, Stuart said:
“In January 2010, and into my 9th Year working for the company CNC, I made a decision to take a break from working away and explore other opportunities. However, around November 2010 I came across an advert in the local paper for The Premier Group advertising the Junior Contacts Manager role.
“I felt that I had the knowledge and skill set to fulfil this role, and I also felt that I had a tie and commitment to the company – with them having provided me with the opportunities early in my working life.
“Luckily, I was offered the position following the interview process, and this led me to where I am now. The company has provided me with the support and training to enable me to progress from Junior to Senior Contracts Manager within this 10-year period, and for this, I am very grateful.”
Stuart says one of the things he enjoys most about the job is the variety, another is the people:
“No two jobs are the same and come with their individual challenges. But mainly, I like the environment and the people that I work with. There is a strong bond within the company from junior positions all the way up to the Managing Director.
“It makes the company a nice place to work, and even when times inevitably get tough there is real camaraderie and support, and this has really come to the fore during the last 10 months, as we have all experienced not only work difficulties but also personal difficulties and worries during the pandemic.”
Two of the projects which stand out in Stuart’s mind over the past year have been the Shell Tonypandy and Shell Britannia sites – both projects he is rightly proud of being involved with. They were both finished on time and in budget, despite obvious challenges, and have elicited impressively positive and enthusiastic comments from the clients and retailers.
When asked if he would recommend his profession to others, he replied:
“I would recommend this profession if you enjoy challenges, problem solving, and the feeling of satisfaction when the project is completed. Also, if you have a drive to meet and exceed targets and enjoy the opportunity to travel and see areas of the UK that you may not have visited otherwise.”
The industry has changed dramatically over the 19 years Stuart has been working in it, and he sees even greater changes on the horizon with the move to electric vehicles:
“Obviously with the legislation from the UK government on the restriction of sales of new Petrol and Diesel cars by 2030, then we have seen a change of focus towards EV charger installations.
“While the technology is there for the chargers, it isn’t quite matched by the vehicles yet. So, with a longer stay at service areas and filling stations required, I have noticed the change of sales buildings from overpriced small areas with limited stock to larger branded shops with franchises within them, offering hot food and seating areas.
“However, the future of the filling station – as highlighted by Gridserve’s recent site and the upcoming Shell site – looks different with EV only sites. A different looking area from your traditional shop, canopy and pump layout that we are all used to, and an exciting time ahead for the industry.”
Stuart has recently been promoted to the role of Contracts Operations Manager. This is a new role for the business which Stuart has been working towards for some time. Over the next six months, Stuart will gradually manage fewer projects and will focus on ensuring the day-to-day operations of the contracts department run more efficiently. His new role will focus on improving labour planning, and working more closely with the commercial team concerning pre-project planning. Congratulations Stuart!
