Stuart Murray celebrated 17 years with CU Phosco on September 1st 2024. During Stuart’s employment with CU Phosco, he has developed into an integral member of team CU Phosco and contributes a great deal to the CU Services Division and the Company beyond.
Stuart started with the company on a sandwich year from Northumbria University and worked on various sales initiatives for the Sales and Marketing Director Matt Murray during his first year. The CU Phosco senior management were impressed with Stuart’s application and drive and offered him the opportunity to rejoin the company once he had completed his degree. Stuart attained a 1st Class Honours Degree in Finance and Investment Management and subsequently rejoined the company as an Assistant Contracts Manager in the Services Division.
The CU Services Division has grown over the last 17 years and Stuart has embraced the opportunity to develop his skill set to suit the demand of such business growth, this has enabled Stuart to match his ambitions to those of the Service Division Team. Stuart has utilised his skills to enable sustained business development through client satisfaction helping the Services Team deliver major floodlighting and high mast installation projects for many clients in the UK and Ireland.
To celebrate this anniversary, we sat down with Stuart to discuss the past 17 years, including his career pathway at the business, what it was like joining after a sandwich year and how he plans to continue to grow as a professional.
“What was it like joining CU Phosco after a sandwich year? Had you found that much changed?”
Honestly it was great to rejoin CU Phosco, re-engaging with a lot of people I had met in that initial year and had got on well with.
The staff retention here is so high so that everyone I had met in that sandwich year, was still here and able to welcome me back. It made my reintroduction and initial settling-in period so much easier, and I was so grateful for that as it can be daunting starting work after being a full-time student even though I did keep in contact on a regular basis.
“How has your time at CU Phosco in the past 17 years seen you grow as a professional?”
I’ve developed significantly during my time here at CU Phosco, from starting out and learning about the business, to becoming an integral part of the Services Division and company.
In my 17 years I’ve developed management skills when I had none before, I’ve learned how to manage projects and assist in their timely delivery, managing a workforce and all the personalities it can include, how to work across departments as well as building and maintaining relationships with all our clients.
Having people within the business like Bob Gaskell and Matt Murray has only helped me be a better manager, I’ve learnt so much.
“How has CU Phosco invested in you as an employee?”
I’m lucky that even during my Sandwich Year, I was under tutorship from some brilliant individuals at this company, it allowed me to learn quickly and really learn the ins and outs of the lighting industry.
However, CU Phosco has also been so quick to help me get any qualifications I might need with this work, they’ve helped me achieve a Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Controlling Lifting Operations as well as an IOSH Managing Safely qualification.
“What are your future goals at the business Stuart?”
The main goal is to continue to help the Services Division and the business as a whole drive forward and continue to be successful.
On a personal level, I’d like to continue to help lead the Services Division, and eventually take over from Bob Gaskell as Contracts Director. He’s been such an important mentor for me, and I’d like to continue the good job he’s done, by taking over when he decides to retire.