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myCareer profile
Craig Smart

Operations Director

Circadian Trust

Craig Smart has worked in the leisure industry for 35 years. He began his career at Yate Leisure Centre and now works as the operations director for Circadian Trust.
Tell us about your career? I really enjoyed sports and being around like minded people so working in leisure was a natural step for me. I started off doing work experience at Yate Leisure Centre before becoming a leisure assistant, and later duty manager. I then worked as an assistant manager at Kingswood Leisure Centre, and a centre manager at Circadian Trust before taking up my current position as operations director at Circadian Trust. What's your favourite part of your job? Over the past fews years the company has completed a number of new builds and refurbishments and it has been a real privilege to see the organisation become one of the best in the business. It makes me feel proud when other trusts or consultants comment on the excellent standard of our facilities and staff. What's your least favourite part of your job? Due to the ever changing financial climate it has often been necessary to restructure the organisation. This meant reducing the number of staff in Operations. The hardest part is when you have a member of staff who has the right attitude and really gives 100 er cent, but there is no longer a position for them to hold. What is the best piece of careers advice you’ve been given? When I was a leisure assistant I worked with a really experienced duty manager, who always had a number of humorous but meaningful quotes. The ones I always remember are: “You’re only as good as your last shift”; “Without teamwork you will achieve nothing”; “If you’re never prepared to change then you may as well go home now”.These sayings have applied over and over again during my 35 years. What career advice would you give to young people trying to break into the industry/your younger self? Always be prepared to work hard, give 100 per cent, and look at reasons why you can achieve things rather than reasons why you can't.
Always be prepared to work hard and give 100 per cent

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