We’ve welcomed four new advisors to the team at WK, who are quickly learning the ropes to provide support to our senior advisors and directors.

A key part of working with WK is the training we provide to bring our new staff up to speed with the skills and tools needed to provide valuable advice to our clients.

Jess Deaker, Katie Forde, Ian Clarkson and Adrienn Davis-Szalma have been working closely with their mentors and the wider team to get to know the ins and outs of your requirements.

We asked each of them a few questions to help you get to know them a little better too:

WK Advisor Jess Deaker.

Jess Deaker

Where are  you from?
I am originally from the Hawkes Bay.

How long have you lived in Marlborough?
I’ve been in Marlborough for 10 years now.

What do you like about living in Marlborough, and what do you like to do outside of work?
I love the outdoors and the water, so I like living in Marlborough because everything is so close! The Sounds, the mountain bike park, everything is literally on our doorstep.

What was it about WK that made it an attractive place for you to work?
Well the work was what I was interested in! But, I had heard really good things about the work and team environment here. So far it is living up to those expectations.

What sort of work did you do prior to joining WK?
I was doing general admin and reception duties.

What does your training involve at WK?
We have been attending live webinars for up-skilling ourselves, and there is also lots of in-house training.

What are you enjoying the most so far about your work here, and what are you looking forward to achieving with WK?
I am really enjoying the work environment. Everyone is very friendly and happy to help when I have questions. There seems to be a really good workplace vibe and I am looking forward to progressing in my work and learning heaps.

WK Advisor Katie Forde.

Katie Forde

Where are  you from?
Lancashire, England.

How long have you lived in Marlborough?
Three and a half years.

What do you like about living in Marlborough, and what do you like to do outside of work?
I love the wineries, it makes a day out on the weekend so much more fun if you can go for a quick wine tasting and lunch. I love how accessible you are to the cities but it’s still a nice small town (I’m not a big city girl) I also love going up the Wither Hills and watching the local rugby.

What was it about WK that made it an attractive place for you to work?
I had always worked in admin/sales type roles and was looking for something different. When I saw the job description that proposed that if you had experience in these roles and fancied a change, I knew that it was the perfect job for me!

What sort of work did you do prior to joining WK?
I worked at Flight Centre as a travel consultant.

What does your training involve at WK?
We had 2 weeks of training when we initially started. We have also done a few training webinars. Most of the training now is working and completing actual jobs.

What are you enjoying the most so far about your work here, and what are you looking forward to achieving with WK?
I love the team environment here, you are really appreciated for the work that you do and it is great to be recognised as an employee but also as a member of a team.

WK Advisor Adrienn Davis-Szalma.

Adrienn Davis-Szalma

Where are  you from?
Originally I am from Hungary, from a small town called Vecses, which is world famous for its fermented cabbage! I moved to New Zealand in 2008 to live with my Kiwi partner.

How long have you lived in Marlborough?
My family and I moved to Blenheim in August 2017 from Napier, Hawkes Bay.

What do you like about living in Marlborough, and what do you like to do outside of work?
Relaxed lifestyle (no traffic lights, loving it!) and the wide variety of outdoor activities. As a family we all love bush walks, camping, hunting, fishing, cycling and going to the beaches to build sandcastles.

What was it about WK that made it an attractive place for you to work?
WK is a company that supports the professional development of their staff and encourage/help them to grow to their max potential. The WK values and how committed they are to these values and the company’s involvement in the local community.

What sort of work did you do prior to joining WK?
I was a Captain for the Hungarian Army for 10+ years but my main expertise comes from general human resources, customer service and administration. I am new to accounting.

What does your training involve at WK?
My employment started with a two week in-house training programme with other trainees, completing Xero certification, webinar sessions and hands-on, ongoing training with my trainee buddy.

What are you enjoying the most so far about your work here, and what are you looking forward to achieving with WK?
The WK supportive and fun environment! My main goal is to become a chartered accountant.

WK Advisor Ian Clarkson.

Ian Clarkson

Where are  you from?
I was born in Auckland and grew up in Dunedin but have lived in Nelson for the past 9 years.

How long have you lived in Marlborough?
Nearly two months.

What do you like about living in Marlborough, and what do you like to do outside of work?
I love the peacefulness, the convenience of town, the beaches and hills and rivers. Outside of work I enjoy walking, biking, reading, relaxing and spending time with friends.

What was it about WK that made it an attractive place for you to work?
I’d heard good things about it, and liked the values and the work being a combination of compliance and advisory, and that I would be trained. There was a good down-to-earth feel about the place.

What sort of work did you do prior to joining WK?
I have been a mental health support worker for just under nine years.

What does your training involve at WK?
It has involved one on one group training, learning about the systems and processes, as well as being walked through jobs and learning about the ways to approach the job. The staff are very supportive and happy to answer my endless questions.

What are you enjoying the most so far about your work here, and what are you looking forward to achieving with WK?
I love doing the work, it’s interesting and challenging and I look forward to improving each day and I get inspired by the other staff. Everyone seems to be aligned with the goal of being as valuable as possible to clients and working towards that. I love that there is a focus on growing and improving the company as a whole and also a desire to make it a great place to work. I like how everyone seems to be happy to support and learn from each other.

We’re very much enjoying having these four on board, and we look forward to seeing how they progress with WK!

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