Ashley says he has loved every minute of his time with The Cumberland.
I manage the testing team. It is where we test all the new software the business uses and offers customers like internet banking, the mobile banking app and internal systems. We look for bugs before customers use the software and I manage the team leading the way in this area.
In testing we help with change for the business. I spend a lot of time training and mentoring and trying to improve what we have and what we do. You need an open mind and desire to change things for the better. We're always looking to make things better.
No one really thinks they’re going to have a career in testing; it's not something I thought about when I was at school. But I was interested in technology, and now I am in a team who get to test software before other people have the chance to use it. This is to make sure it works the best way it can before it goes live.
I was in sixth form when I applied for a Saturday job as a branch assistant. It was a great job. I really enjoy working in the branch. I was starting to cover holidays and do extra work. I still had a keen interest in technology, and then a role came up in testing, so I applied for it. I decided university wasn’t the route I wanted to take and I became a trainee test analyst. I worked my way up in the team; the good part of working for The Cumberland is you can see ways to progress.
I was inquisitive, I asked questions, and after progressing through the Test Analyst grades, I got a promotion to team leader. It was a really different role which wasn’t easy at times, but I had good people around me who gave me the support I needed.
I took over as manager about 18 months ago. I'm really proud of where I am. It's not often you have a chance to look back, but I’m pleased with my progress to date.
I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was at school, but I had an interest in technology. I never imagined being in this role; it just evolved. When my friends went to university, I knew it wasn’t something I wanted to do. I really enjoyed being at The Cumberland. I felt like I was in the right place for me.
Hard work pays off. It’s not easy and you do have setbacks. You might want to become a manager or even a CEO, but you have to work hard every day to get there. If you talk to most people in those positions, they started from the bottom and worked their way up to where they are.
To achieve big goals, I think people should set smaller goals daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. It's fine to want to be a CEO, but you have to meet the smaller goals first which all add up.
I think the simple things are important and shouldn’t be overlooked. Don’t be shy, be a friendly face, and get involved. Be known for the right reasons, stand out, and share your knowledge. If you want to progress, have a conversation with your manager and find out what you can do to achieve it. Make yourself the obvious choice when promotion comes around.
Apply, make a call, and ask questions. Look at the values we have. We’re customer-led and if this is what you think is important, start applying.