Jigsaw’s partnership with Westpac has been long-standing, with the bank actively supporting Jigsaw since 2016.
In 2019, Westpac engaged Jigsaw paid trainees to work on digitisation projects on a rolling contract. Conor Merrigan was among them.
Conor had his contract extended with Westpac multiple times until 2023 when he was offered a full-time role at Westpac as an Associate in the Records Management Department.
He hit the ground running in his new role at Westpac, thanks to his familiarity with the work, the processes, and some friendly faces—gained during his time at Jigsaw.
Just over 18 months after Conor’s commencement of full-time work with Westpac, four more Jigsaw trainees have joined him in the Records Management team.
Alexandra Mcphee, Senior Manager of Records Management & Privacy, said that when the need came to expand the team, the choice to employ Jigsaw trainees was a natural one.
“Westpac had previously engaged Jigsaw for records management services over five years ago which is where its relationship started. When we identified a need to boost in resourcing our records management team this year, we turned to Jigsaw again, as we had confidence they could find the right people to help us with the outcomes we were after,” said Alexandra.
Now, with the expanded team, Conor is embracing a new challenge; mentoring the Jigsaw graduates to help them experience a smooth transition, and to achieve similar success to his own.
According to the Jigsaw graduates, Conor’s leadership and support within the Westpac team have ensured a seamless transition.
“I have two supervisors: Conor and Naja. Every time I have a question or I make a mistake, they’re always willing to help,” said Alex.
“I also get assistance from my fellow Jigsaw members, Chem, Matt, and Nathan, and we assist each other through teamwork.”
Similarly, Nathan also named Conor and Naja as his greatest supporters at work, sharing that “they’re always available to help and introduce us to new kinds of work. They care about our well-being, too.”
Alexandra, Conor’s manager, said that Conor’s firsthand experience as a Jigsaw graduate has placed him in a unique position. He has valuable knowledge of the transition process, and now he’s putting that knowledge to good use.
As a former Jigsaw graduate, Conor understands how overwhelming the transition into a new workplace can be and has done an excellent job ensuring the new team members have what they need to feel comfortable and welcome.
Conor has exceptional knowledge in our records management processes and has generously shared this knowledge with the team, responding to questions and assisting with tasks. Conor has had to step in and help, including independently leading team training in the office on behalf of the broader team. The recruitment of the additional Jigsaw graduates has also provided Conor with the opportunity to expand his leadership and communication skills.
Conor recognises the importance of personalised support when transitioning to a new workplace, crediting the guidance he received from the Westpac team as key to his success. Now, he’s focused on offering that same level of support to his fellow team members.
“Moving to a new job can sometimes be nerve-racking. It’s important to provide support because it helps boost confidence. All four of the graduates have been showing improvements in this area during their time with Westpac,” said Conor.
“When showing them a task, I take my time explaining the task so it’s easy to understand, and I encourage them to take their time and ask any questions if they are unsure of anything. This is the kind of support I got when I started with Westpac.”
From the beginning, Brayden, Jigsaw’s Transitions Coordinator, has been a part of Conor’s Jigsaw journey and points out the significant transformation he has experienced.
“Seeing Conor step up into a leadership role has been awesome. From watching him at Jigsaw to seeing how much he’s grown since joining Westpac, he’s become a role model.
“The team looks up to him. There have been days when Naja has been sick, and Conor has stepped in to supervise the team on his own in the office. It’s been incredible to see how far he’s come,” said Brayden.
Westpac’s newest Records Management team members are in great hands with Conor leading the way.