“It was difficult, but Sodexo connected me with everyone online and pretty soon I had met everyone in my team, albeit virtually,”
As a Technical Services Manager at Sodexo, Magdalene de Wet believes everyone should feel comfortable getting things wrong sometimes, so long as they learn from it. Looking at her own experience, Magdalene is confident all of her mistakes have shaped her into the person she is today.
A far cry from the dermatological profession Magdalene envisioned for herself growing up in South Africa, she got her start in compliance and technical services by chance. A brief talk with a family friend who told Magdalene about interviews happening with the National Airforce enticed her to throw her hat in the ring.
This led to 25 years working in the aviation industry.
Magdalene found her niche in airworthiness and compliance, moving through the ranks in the South African Airforce. After a quarter-century of loyal service, her employment journey led her to Australia.
“I now enjoy digging a little deeper and finding why something isn’t working, or what went wrong,” Magdalene said.
“It is not a role I ever thought I would go into; it is something totally different to what I wanted. But I honestly cannot see myself doing anything else today.”
Magdalene joined Sodexo during the COVID-19 lockdown and, with remote working requirements, experienced a new set of challenges.
“It was difficult, but Sodexo connected me with everyone online and pretty soon I had met everyone in my team, albeit virtually,” Magdalene said.
Since beginning with Sodexo, Magdalene has gone from overseeing a team of 15, to a team of 65. A star achiever, Magdalene was also raising her two children and completing her Master of Business Administration (MBA) while managing the growth of her team.
“To get the most out of myself I had to set a routine and stick with it,” Magdalene said.
“It was a crazy thing to do, but it was one of my personal goals to achieve my MBA.”
Sodexo was supportive of Magdalene’s studies from the outset, finding flexible work arrangements so she could achieve her accreditation.
“Sodexo gave me time off when I requested so that I could complete assignments and has been so supportive throughout the whole process. Now that I have my MBA, I hope to put it to use and continue to improve internal practices,” Magdalene said.
“Sodexo offers a lot of opportunities, so I will probably do a bit of leadership training to help me step up into a bigger role in the company.”
When reflecting on the juggling act of study, life and work, Magdalene says that it’s vital to take time to look after yourself.
Sodexo is proud to support the upskilling and training of all staff to reach their full potential. Looking back over the past year, Magdalene admits the juggling of life, study and work was eased by the company’s understanding and flexibility during her onboarding period.
“My biggest piece of advice would be to make time for yourself and recharge. With a clear head you can perform to your best capabilities,” Magdalene said.
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