Q&A with Paige Tonks - Graduate

working for us

Tell us a bit about how you got to where you are now 

Following school, I embarked on an International Business degree, as I thought it was quite practical and had no idea what I wanted to do as a career. All throughout my time at uni I worked part time, sometimes taking on two jobs so I could afford to travel and experience different cultures. I’ve worked at a range of places: call centres, retail shops and the legendary McDonald’s! Consequently, I’ve acquired valuable skills in each one but the most important ones are adapting my communication style to each individual and of course, time management. My flexibility in the jobs I’ve tried aided me in securing a career at Cadent, as it showed I was willing to try different things.

What does your day-to-day role involve? 

I am nearing the end of my graduate scheme and my last placement is supporting the establishment of the Cadent Foundation. The Foundation will award grants to charities and groups
for projects which have charitable purposes and bring public benefit. I have been given the extremely rare opportunity to have a key role in creating a separate entity of Cadent which has the potential for delivering wide-ranging benefits. This has included theorising the strategy, grant criteria, securing a Charity partner and working with legal to understand the legal implications of setting up a Foundation.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? 

By being on Cadent’s graduate scheme, I have gained invaluable skills and gone through extraordinary training which has aided my development significantly. My favourite thing about the scheme is the people I’ve met along the way. Regardless of department and how little my work relates to theirs, everyone I’ve met has been so helpful and willing to lend their support to me for me to learn.

What advice would you give to someone who’s unsure what they want to do with their career?

Take time when thinking about your career. Don’t rush into anything being determined that’s what you will like, because you never know until you’ve actually done it. However, I would recommend keeping busy and experiencing different types of jobs to understand what you do and don’t like - it can show that you’re adaptable.

Careers with Cadent

We have lots of exciting careers opportunities at Cadent, which you can find out about by clicking the link below.

Cadent

Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy.  We are in a unique position to build on strong foundations whilst encouraging the curiosity to think differently and the courage to embrace change.  Day to day we continue to operate, maintain and innovate the UK’s largest gas network, transporting gas safely and protecting people in an emergency.   Our skilled engineers and specialists remain committed to the communities we serve, working day and night to ensure gas reaches 11 million homes from Cumbria to North London and the Welsh Borders to East Anglia, to keep your energy flowing. 

Future of Gas: Here at Cadent we support the Government’s plans to reach Net Zero by 2050. That means we’re backing the introduction of hydrogen as a low carbon alternative to natural gas for the future. We know people love the controllability of gas and, with our network already in place, it makes sense to switch to the lower carbon alternative offered by hydrogen, which we believe can keep homes and businesses warm for generations to come.

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