“I see colleagues beside me everyday who have dedicated their careers to Furness Building Society. A career spanning 40 years here isn’t uncommon, it’s this dedication that creates the company culture we’re so proud of. ”

Andrew Turner joined the Furness Building Society team in the midst of the global pandemic in September 2020. With a real drive to build himself a lifetime career, climb the ladder and support his family along the way, Andrew now takes on his newest challenge - completing a master’s degree, fully funded by Furness.

Andrew’s keen desire to make a difference whilst working within a business whose values sat in line with his own, saw him take the plunge with Furness in a branch network role initially. Now two years into his career with the organisation, he’s turned his hand to roles in both the mortgage and savings teams before reaching his current position, Planning and Control Technician.

Speaking about this role, Andrew commented: “In planning and control, we sit at the very heart of the business, overseeing anything from quality assurance and rate changes to complaints and anti-money laundering. It’s vital we keep a constant stream of communication with all departments, which keeps my day-to-day responsibility pretty varied.

“Working directly with each department, I get a real feel for the wider business and can see first hand that our company culture runs across the board. We have a very supportive environment here at Furness Building Society, and that’s really important. I work at the head office in Barrow-in-Furness , a place I call home, and a place Furness has called home for over 150 years now. This company culture has a legacy as old as the company itself and is certainly something that’s been built over the years. I see colleagues beside me everyday who have dedicated their careers to Furness Building Society. A career spanning 50 years here isn’t uncommon, it’s this dedication that creates the company culture we’re so proud of.

“The personal and professional investment I’ve received from Furness Building Society in just a small number of years has been incredible. From a hugely supportive work culture to training schemes and educational backing, it’s been refreshing to find an employer who has this dedication towards its workforce. Furness has fully funded various courses for me, including my CeMap qualification and now I’m set to start my master’s degree in Strategic Leadership at Loughborough University, all fully funded by Furness.

Andrew continues: “Opportunity for professional development is really important and the backing from your employer further encourages that ambition. This investment from Furness has helped me reach a pivotal point in my career. These next three years, studying for my master’s degree, will allow me to take the next step up the ladder and progress even further at Furness.”

In the short time Andrew has been with the society, the economic landscape has changed drastically and continues to do so. Andrew added: “As the Bank of England continues to hike its base rate in a bid to tackle rising inflation, here in the planning and control team we’re tasked with coordinating these rate changes and putting the controls in place through each process and department. It’s a fine balancing act ensuring this all runs smoothly and the very best service is provided for our members throughout.