Carlson Wagonlit | Working for us

Focus on Andrew’s career at CWT

Words of wisdom and some career highlights from Andrew who has experienced firsthand how hard work can really pay off...

"As CWT is a global company the world literally is your Oyster. Dedication and hard work is par for the course, but the opportunity to play hard is also given"

In one sentence, I would describe my job as:

Varied, challenging & rewarding.

The first thing I do when I get into work is:

A quick check of my emails over a morning coffee, closely followed by a peek at the outlook calendar to see what the day has in store.

The best thing about working at Carlson Wagonlit Travel:

Is being able to share your thoughts and ideas knowing you are contributing to the future direction of the company and the corporate travel industry as a whole. This gives you a real sense of belonging.

Top 3 highlights at Carlson Wagonlit Travel so far:

1 Receiving an award as part of the team for CWT's "Best Branch"

2 Being recognised by Virgin Trains and winning an award for Best Supplier/Client Relationship

3 Managing valuable accounts in the public sector. This is a big responsibility but I enjoy the challenge!

Most challenging aspect of my job:

Trying to anticipate what is coming. It’s vital to always be up to speed when you are looking after an organisation's whole travel programme. The client expects you to have solutions for any possible problem so I’ve learned to expect the unexpected!

My path to success goes something like this:

Travel Consultant at CWT Leeds branch > promoted to Senior Consultant > promoted to Implant Manager (working in-house for a chocolate company) > switched to the public sector, managing a bigger team > Programme Manager, Public Sector

What I’ve learnt and how I’ve developed:

Accept that things will happen that you did not foresee
Consider each situation and evaluate options before reacting
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Support is always available and nobody knows everything
Learn from mistakes, don’t dwell on them
Enjoy your job, it’s a big part of your life!

My favourite/memorable travel destination:

Australia. My wife who also works for CWT was lucky enough to win two business class tickets. It was an amazing trip and as a souvenir I bought a boomerang, which as it turns out was a complete waste of money; I’d accidently chosen a left handed one! My wife still humours me about it, we hope to return one day, and maybe I can get a refund on the boomerang!!

When I’m not working at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, I like:

Spending time enjoying the outdoors, walking or cycling with my wife and 5 year old daughter Jessica. I’m also a keen snooker player, although my highest break would suggest otherwise!

If you’re thinking of working at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, I’d say:

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and to learn about the company. Working for CWT does require hard work and dedication, but the rewards are also forthcoming.

"Andrew is a pleasure to work with and always has a positive attitude towards his colleagues & clients. He will go out of his way to help others and his extensive operational/rail knowledge is an asset to the company" Fiona Gubby | Programme Manager, Public Sector