When school leaver Mike Brears joined the Gough Group 30 years ago as a junior warehouse man in Christchurch, he never expected to one day become the national manager transport for TWL and Transpecs.
It’s not an uncommon story in the Gough Group, he says.
“Many staff have enjoyed long and successful careers with the company. Most New Zealanders don’t know just what our company can offer in terms of career – and it’s a story worth knowing.
“When I finished school I didn’t have a career plan. My father had heard about an opportunity with TWL and encouraged me to apply for the role. I was offered the role and have never looked back.”
Over three decades Brears has worked his way through a number of roles in Canterbury, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty.
As well as warehouse and customer services jobs, he has had the opportunity to open branches in Hamilton and Tauranga, worked as a territory sales representative in South Waikato and the King Country, and has managed sales and operations in the Northern region.
“It’s the people – both customers and staff – they are the reason I have stayed,” he says.
“I really enjoy the down-to-earth, genuine people that I have come into contact with over the years with TWL and Transpecs.
“I have been privileged to be guided by some incredibly influential people in the business – I still look up to them as mentors and friends today.”
There has been no one career highlight for Brears.
“My core value is that the business would not be successful without the right team around me.
“There is not one achievement that I could claim personally – there are lot of unsung heroes playing their part in TWL’s success every day. I am proud to call these people colleagues and I love working alongside them.”
These days, Brears gets huge personal satisfaction from mentoring younger colleagues and seeing people new to the business grow and succeed.
“Most roles within the company are advertised internally. We want to grow our own staff so if an employee has the skills required to make a career move and is demonstrating the right behaviours, we will promote or transfer them internally.”
His advice for anyone looking for a career with TWL or Transpecs is simple.
“If you are prepared to work hard, listen and take advice, then there is absolutely no reason you cannot have a similar satisfying career with us.
“There are always opportunities to advance. Some roles do take time to get to but make it known that you want to progress and put the time in to make it happen.
“I always say make sure your name is known for the right reasons so when an opportunity arises, it is very hard for management to say no.”
TWL delivers internationally recognised parts and equipment to New Zealand’s commercial transport aftermarket industry through its nationwide network of branches.
Transpecs supplies OEM truck and trailer components directly to trailer manufacturers and truck body builders across the country.
Together TWL and Transpecs employ more than 150 staff in 19 locations.
Passion for the transport industry, a mechanical mind and a strong customer service ethos are the key characteristics sought in their team.
