From Junior Sales Administrator to Managing Director in 13 years!
23rd June 2021 marks this year’s International Women in Engineering day and coincides with the 15 year anniversary of Kim Littleton starting at Jacob UK as a Junior Sales Administrator Apprentice.
Fast forward 13 years, and Kim is now Managing Director – and at thirty-four, is the youngest director of the Jacob Group and responsible for a £3.5million turnover subsidiary.
Straight from college, Kim entered the working world by studying for a Business & Administration NVQ Level 2 at a local residential care company. A chance conversation led to her moving to Jacob UK to complete her apprenticeship and Level 3. Since then, she has progressed through the company before taking on the directorship in 2019. As part of an international network of 5 daughter companies, Kim is an integral member.
In regard to her career, Kim said “I’m very proud to have gained these amazing career opportunities, not only located on my doorstep, in the beautiful Shropshire countryside, but as a young woman working in a typically male-led industry.
Companies with female leaders in our industry are still a minority, facing unequal pay and gender barriers almost daily. Being a woman in the engineering sector is challenging and over the years, I have experienced negative assumptions to both my gender and age. But being able to change those perceptions is a great feeling and the company has given me opportunities that I never imagined possible.”
Internationally, the Jacob Group offer career development through exchange programs, regular graduate work-place schemes, and continue to offer career development opportunities to employees across the group.
“Having no university qualifications has not hindered my career progression with the Jacob Group.” Kim continues. “It’s something I felt strongly about at the time – that a work-based qualification would be the best thing for me, straight from education. I hope that I can pay that forward for future employees by showing that a degree is not always necessary and that there are other ways of earning qualifications. I’m excited to see what will shape future employment now that UCAS has pledged to make it easier for sixth-formers to apply for leading apprenticeships, tackling – in their own words – the “outdated stigma” and “misplaced snobbery” around vocational qualifications. I was given that chance and today I am still learning! When the company takes steps like these, it reassures me that I’m with the right employer. The Jacob Group continue to be progressive in their approach to employment and I’m proud to be part of a modern, forward-thinking, and equal team.”
