Samm Murray, Training Area and Facilities Manager in the North region, has worked at Landmarc for 14 years, starting part time in the Training Control Office on a job share with a colleague. Through hard work and dedication, Samm has progressed through the ranks to become Landmarc’s first female Training Area and Facilities Manager, after exceeding her expectations during the exams for the Training Area Manager course.
“I started working for Landmarc in September 2004, part time in the Training Control Office on a job share. In a restructure the opportunity became available for me to go full time and when the Training Area and Facilities Supervisor went on maternity leave in 2017, I applied to second into her role.
“The new Landmarc Training Area Manager course came on line in the May of that year and I was asked to attend. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and was eager to learn, which became apparent when I far exceeded my expectations in the exams. Not long after this the Training Area and Facilities Manager decided to leave the company and I successfully applied for the position – officially starting in October 2017.
“We all know that the training areas are heavily male dominated, but I can sincerely say that the team at Landmarc has been nothing but supportive to ensure my progression. There is equality within the company and opportunities to develop your career if you want it – whether you are male or female. I have and continue to receive, support and training and work with a great team of people.
Developing skills
“My job involves dealing with most things inside and outside the wire; from booking accommodation and facilities, range inspections, scheduling work (reactive and core), delivering Rural Estate Tasks (RETS), Petrol Oil and Lubricants (POL) management, keeping assignment instructions up to date, dealing with targetry requests, waste management, dealing with soldiers and liaising with the customer on a daily basis.
“It is a job for which I have developed skills for, no two days are the same and I am constantly learning something new. Being an outdoor type person it was a great career change for me as I get to call the vast training area, with the most fantastic views, my office!
Joining the team on the ground
“My biggest daily challenge is delivering the RETS, which includes a multitude of tasks including fencing, removing Sitka spruce regeneration, strimming vegetation on public rights of way, cutting back and treating poplar seedlings, refurbishing and putting the snow poles out and collecting them in.
Due to lack of experience and knowledge on the rural side I sometimes require assistance from the Rural Manager, but more recently I decided to join the team on the ground to carry out one of the tasks, in this case tree tubing, to give me an understanding of what the job entails, what the team can achieve, how long jobs take and how the terrain and the weather affects the task at hand.
“This has really benefitted me and the team because I can now go and look at that specific task and put a realistic completion time to it. I also understand and appreciate the importance of switching people around in what can be quite a laborious job. I will be going on other tasks to gain invaluable experience so I can do my best.
Most rewarding
“The most rewarding part of my job so far would have to be passing the RSIT inspection with praise from the inspector on how well maintained the ranges are after only 10 months in this role.
“Landmarc is fun, friendly, diverse, challenging and you can guarantee that there is never a dull moment!”