A career that goes the extra mile with Calor

Finding a role that utilises and develops existing skills is important to help ensure the transition is as smooth as possible, and an employer which can support you on this journey is vital. One such business, which is committed to supporting those in the services to resettle, is Calor.

Who is Calor?
With a rich heritage spanning more than 85 years, Calor has been providing LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) to power over 100,000 homes and businesses across the UK, in a range of applications such as cookers, heated swimming pools and forklift trucks right through to hot air balloons.

We’re proud to have already made an impact on our customers carbon footprints by offering LPG. However, we’re not stopping there and are committed to offering our customers 100% renewable energy solutions by 2040.

We already offer BioLPG – the renewable equivalent of LPG made from a blend of sustainably sourced materials – and have plans in place to expand and develop our products and solutions to include even more renewable energy sources as part of our 2040 commitment.

Powered by our people
We have a variety of roles currently on offer both on a permanent and temporary basis, so whatever your skill-set we’ll likely have a role to suit you. Some of our current roles include Production Operatives rotating between filling plant activities, cylinder loading and refurbishment duties, Drivers across our UK-wide distribution network, Engineers (Mechanical/Electrical/Project), and Plant/Asset/Vehicle/Maintenance Technicians which are ideally suited to those with experience in maintenance to large machinery, plant or vehicle fleets. We’re also on the lookout for Health & Safety Advisors with a passion for developing and sustaining our strong health and safety culture here at Calor.

We are continually on the hunt for the very best to join our growing team. At Calor, our customers are at the heart of everything we do, so self-motivated individuals that can build strong relationships with the wider team and put customers first are exactly who we’re after.

Sounds good? It’s about to get better
Our team is encouraged to bring their talent, energy and enthusiasm to the business, and this has seen us create a positive team culture we’re incredibly proud of. In addition, our range of extensive training and development opportunities ensures our team members are continually motivated to further their career progression.

For those who are recruited to a permanent position, you could benefit from:
•25 days’ annual leave plus 8 bank holidays if you’re full time.
•After you’ve worked here for two years, we’ll match the amount you put into your pension pot up to 7.5%. Before that, we’ll match it up to 4.5%.*
•You can opt in for BUPA medical insurance, which comes with a host of benefits including a free health line that lets you speak to a nurse 24/7.
•You’ll get your full salary for 26 weeks (6½ months) while on maternity or adoption leave, and for 2 weeks on paternity leave.
•Free subscription to the Headspace wellbeing app and access to our Employee Assistance Programme which provides 24/7 confidential support.

Meet Andrea Garson, Shift Lead at Calor
Andrea is a Shift Lead at our Plymouth centre managing a team of 15 production colleagues. She spoke to us about her own transition from military to civilian life.

“Having spent more than five years as a postal and courier operator in The Royal Logistics Corps, which saw me work all over Europe, I began thinking about resettling back into civilian life and exploring my career options outside of the military.

“Being in the army and often deployed on field-based exercises, I was already familiar with Calor as it was the gas used by servicemen and women for cooking and comfort. Having that awareness meant I was familiar with the business, and some of the operations within it.”

Starting on the road to a career with Calor
When Andrea left the army, she initially worked for the Royal Mail in the north of England. However, in 2006, Andrea was keen to relocate, which is when she saw a job advert for Calor as a Gas Centre Assistant in Plymouth.

“When I saw that initial job advert, it was the variety of the role which really appealed to me. Being a hands-on person, I knew that an office-based role wasn’t for me. But I also wanted to make sure my next position could offer me the opportunity to develop and expand my skill set, whilst providing real opportunities to progress my career.

Outside of the variety of the role, Andrea was also keen to embark on the next chapter in her career with a well-regarded company.

“As a well-trusted business, Calor was also able to offer me much needed stability in my career, which I think is especially important to those of us who are ex-services. When I joined the business, I was the only woman on site, but the team were excellent in making me feel supported. In fact, the camaraderie of my teams is something I’ve really come to love about Calor, throughout my career here to date.”

Following a successful recruitment process, Andrea was offered a position with Calor, and was delighted to find out there were some instant commonalities with her new team.

“Calor as a business is committed to supporting those in the forces who are transitioning across to civilian life. My very first team at the Plymouth site was made up entirely of ex-servicemen, so from the onset we all had something in common and it really showed that the business cared about supporting us.”

Drawing on existing skills
Looking back at that very first role, Andrea explains how some of her existing skills from the army saw her get off to a flying start.

“A big part of my first role centred on making sure customer demand for cylinders was met. Having worked in the military it meant I, and the rest of the team, had the skill-set to draw on to ensure we reached our targets. Being incredibly disciplined creating strong and cohesive teams are just some skills I’ve been able to transfer over from my time in the army to really drive my role at Calor.”

Andrea’s career at Calor has seen her take on a number of roles within the business, including a relocation to Calor’s distribution centre in Plymouth. Covering a larger geographic area, Andrea was responsible for the efficient running of the distribution operations at the site. A skill she thanks her time within the Royal Logistics Corps for helping her establish.

Space to grow
In addition to drawing on existing skills, Andrea has also developed new ones through the business’ extensive learning and development opportunities, all of which have supported her on her progression to her current role as Shift Lead at Plymouth. Here, Andrea is responsible for ensuring the safety of the team at all times and providing reporting on incident management and plant emergency response procedures.

Andrea also delivers the shift production plan and is responsible for the recording and communication of shift production levels and efficiencies, while also ensuring accurate weekly cylinder stock counts are triggered, completed on time, and any variances are looked into thoroughly.

“Working within a hazardous environment, safety is always paramount. So, it is important procedures are followed, and our team has the processes in place we must follow at all times. During my time in the army, timing and routines were crucial in all operations, these skills have been something I’ve been able to draw on in my current role too – developing the rigid procedures for the team to follow to ensure everyone’s safety at all times.”

Looking ahead to what’s next on the horizon for her career with Calor, Andrea concluded:

“Over my time at Calor, the business has supported me in developing myself and I’ve been able to undertake a great deal of training to enhance my skill-set. When I think back to my time in the military, I’m really grateful that the skills I learnt there have set me up for such a rewarding career, and I’m really excited to see where my career at Calor takes me next.”