TDX Napier’s Shona Jones thrives on challenge — from triathlons to leading her team — recently completing her Diploma in Business with Careerforce
Outside of work, TDX Napier service manager, Shona Jones thrives on the challenge of triathlons, chasing medals and testing her limits. So, when the opportunity arose to complete a Diploma in Business (Leadership and Management) Level 5, she saw it as another exciting race, another medal to claim.
And now after just 11 months, she has successfully crossed that finish line, with support from work-based learning provider, Careerforce.
Traditionally known for supporting on-the-job learning across the health and wellbeing sector, Careerforce says their leadership programme is now proving just as valuable in the automotive and logistics industries.
Shona leads a team of technicians in the male dominated heavy equipment industry and supervises functions within the service department such as bookings, and the allocation and invoicing of workshop jobs.
She began working at TDX Napier as a service advisor in May 2023, and by December, while still handling administration roles for other TDX branches, was promoted to the service manager position. She is currently the only female service manager in the company.
The TDX range of products and services comprise the brands: Volvo Construction Equipment, Fuchs Material Handlers, Yanmar Construction Equipment, Kohler Generators, Perkins Engines, Allison Transmissions, as well as a range of Shell lubricants and filtration products.
“Managing a team of men can be entertaining,” says Shona, “It’s definitely interesting. We are like a family, they have become ‘my boys’. They are an amazing team.”
At first, when stepping into the service manager role, Shona says she felt out of place.
“I definitely felt I wasn’t the right person at the start as I didn’t have a technical background. Over time I’ve enjoyed learning more about the technical aspects of what goes into managing a high performing aftersales team.”
“I did know the machines from previous roles,” adds Shona, “but I’m not technical, and of course I’d never been a manager before.
“I really wanted to learn how to manage the team.”
TDX offered to give Shona leadership and management training, so when industry training provider, MITO, promoted the Careerforce business programme through their motor trade networks, she jumped at the opportunity.
The Careerforce Leadership and Management Diploma is completed on the job, 100% online, self-directed eight-12 hours per week with supporting online resources. A leadership and management coach is provided for the duration of the programme.
“Once I’d learnt how to do the attestations and gather the evidence, then doing a couple of the tasks, I then worked out how to speed the process up and got into the rhythm.
“I soon realised why I’m in the role I’m in. I’ve got that pastoral care thing nailed. I like to encourage my technicians to do training, to look at their future and better themselves. I listen to people and though as a leader I think I make good decisions, I also listen to other people, and we make better decisions together. It was like ah! – this is why I’m in my job.”
Shona describes her Careerforce leadership coach as ‘awesome’. “She was so good, she held my hand through it all and told me what was expected.
“Now I look upon her as a friend, and so I definitely miss her now that I’ve I stopped doing it.”
Looking back on the confidence she’s gained from the programme, Shona admits that in the beginning she didn’t fully understand why she had been placed in the role.
“Now that I’ve done the learning, I’ve worked out my role. I do tend look at things a bit differently,” she says. “I do think I look at my decision making a lot more now since my training. It’s not just, ‘everyone listen to Shona, this is what we’re doing’. Now we do a lot of talking with the technicians and the foreman. It’s more – how do we think we should approach this? What is the best way to do it?”
Shona managed to squeeze in her study sessions before starting work at 7.30am, after work and in the weekends. The excitement of achieving her diploma kept her motivated and focused on the finish line. For her, it was just another medal to be won.
“I would recommend it, and for me jumping to the Level 5 Diploma was a good idea. It might not work for everyone – you have to be focused. Certainly, completing it on-the-job via Careerforce was a good way to do it, and quite simple once you learn how, and for me, once I’d worked out the technology, of course,” she smiles.
For more information, contact careerforce.org.nz