3:21 min read
When the first-ever cohort of apprentices graduate from Woolworths Group’s refrigeration apprenticeship program later this year, Caroline Fitzgerald will look on like a proud mother.
The apprenticeship program manager for Woolworths 360 at Woolworths Group is affectionately known as the ‘Apprentice Mum’ to the ‘budding fridgies’ who are part of the world-class four-year program.
“I feel extremely proud of the individuals we've hired into our program,” says Caroline. “We have apprentices ranging in age, and 32 per cent of our apprentices are women. We have a lot of cultural diversity within that program as well.
“As an apprentice at Woolworths, no one is restricted by whatever background or gender they are. The commonality is about having a great attitude and a real true motivation to become a great tradesperson.”
A passionate champion for diversity and inclusion, Caroline was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 20 years ago, when her son Sam was just a baby. But she refuses to let it define her or limit her professional success.
However, the former investment banker admits she didn’t have the confidence to speak openly about her health within the business initially, as she hadn’t worked on her own self-acceptance.
“MS is such an unpredictable thing and often an invisible illness and so, for a long time, I would pretend I was completely fine,” says Caroline, who started her career with Woolworths Group in 2017, working in senior store operations talent acquisition with BIG W.
“In 2020, when I started my current role, we had pivoted to remote working but on my first physical day in the office, I met with my line managers and said, ‘I would like to share something important about myself, I have MS.’
“They were like, ‘OK, great, please let us know of any support you need’, and then we moved on to focus on my exciting new role. I knew from then on that I could bring my full self to work and that my disability didn’t define or limit me to succeed in my role.”
A dynamic and passionate leader, Caroline is not only a role model for her apprentices but also her own children, Sam, 21, and daughter Carys, 18.
Watching her mother champion women in non-traditional roles – 32 percent of Woolworths refrigeration apprentices identify as female compared with an industry average of 1 per cent – and redefine diversity and inclusion has no doubt inspired Carys to pursue a career in the male-dominated field of Construction Project Management.
“Being a strong role model for my children is extremely important to me,” says Caroline.
“They know all the exciting things I've done in my past, but they also know the future that I set for myself and that I will never be constrained by any limitations set on me by other people. You can have challenges in life, but you can get past those challenges if you pursue your own path and follow your own ambition.”
Caroline says she’s proud Woolworths Group is continuously working tirelessly to have a diverse workforce and better representation across a growing network of businesses to create a better tomorrow for all.
“One of the really important things I've learnt at Woolworths Group is that no one thing is going to define exactly what your future will hold for you,” says Caroline.
“I also strongly believe you can't be what you can't see. So it could be representation around disability or around gender. I think what's really incredible to see in Woolworths Group is how much we encourage everybody to have a try, and also to bring their whole selves to work.”
Watch Caroline’s inspiring story here
Watch Caroline’s inspiring story here
