CAREER, CULTURE & COMMUNITY WITH ARROW TRANSPORT’S TROY ANGOVE
What Footy Teaches You for Life and Business: Troy Angove from Arrow Transport on Career, Culture and Community
Troy Angove played his junior footy at St Brendan’s North Colts in Flemington before pulling on the boots for Kensington FC. These days he’s COO of Arrow Transport, one of Australia’s leading wharf cartage and warehousing operators, and a key driver behind Arrow’s naming rights partnership with the WFNL.
We sat down with Troy to talk about what footy taught him that still holds up in business, the kind of people Arrow actually hires, and where to start if you’re a young player or someone at a career crossroads weighing up a future in transport and logistics.
His answers are straight down the line: experience helps, but attitude, reliability and being a good cultural fit will take you a lot further at Arrow than a polished CV.
1. You played for St Brendan’s North Colts (Flemington Juniors) & Kensington FC (North Melbourne and Kensington), back in the day. What do you remember most about that time and what did footy teach you that still sticks with you in business?
Friendships are the biggest takeaway from sport. Most of my lifelong friends are the people I played football with, not the people I went to school with. It’s a very strong bond being part of a sporting team.
There are a few big takeaways from football that have transferred over to my career: teamwork -being part of a team and doing your role to the best of your ability is highly important to the success of the team, and the same applies in business. Being a leader, even if your title or current role doesn’t stipulate it -you can always have a positive influence over someone regardless of where you sit in the org chart. Another big one is not taking for granted what you currently have (the grass isn’t always greener).
I broke my leg while playing when I was 20 and thought I would never return and play again. When I did have the opportunity to come back after a long recovery, the enjoyment I got out of it was amplified, as I thought something I loved was being taken away from me. It also made me reflect on the “what if” -what if I had fully applied myself from the age of 15 to 18? Who knows. It reinforced the importance of making the most of your current situation—in sport, business, and your personal life.
2. Arrow Transport is one of Australia’s leading wharf cartage and warehousing businesses. For someone in the WFNL community who has never thought about a career in transport and logistics, what would you say to them?
Working in the warehouse and transport industry, you need to be thick-skinned, have a can-do attitude, and always be willing to push yourself every day.
The industry has so many variations of roles, from entry level right through to executive level – no two roles are completely the same, even if the titles match.
With that comes a lot of variety and satisfaction in what you do. You will find yourself working under pressure and dealing with adversity (things do not go to plan – daily), but when you get it right and start to see a few small wins, success begins to follow and the industry becomes addictive.
3. What kind of people does Arrow actually look for? Is it all about experience, or is there something else?
We look for people who possess a good attitude, have a bit of presence about them, and, importantly, are a good cultural fit. Not all roles require prior experience in the industry – transferable skills are also valued and can bring new and fresh ideas.
In the operational environment, having forklift or reach experience is important. For a driving role, having the ability to drive semi-trailers, B-doubles and A-doubles goes a long way.
To build a long-term career at Arrow, you need to work hard, have a strong moral compass, be reliable, and be consistent with your work ethic.
4. Arrow offers roles across driving, warehousing, operations, admin and more. For a young player or someone at a career crossroads, where would you tell them to start?
Start with understanding the business – do some research and reach out to ask questions. If you want a role in the warehouse, go out and get your forklift ticket. You may start with unpacking containers -be prepared to begin at entry level (where you start is not necessarily where you will end up).
If you have prior experience that can transfer into one of our roles, be confident in your ability to demonstrate this when you have the opportunity to interview. Apply for roles that fit your personality and skillset – not just your prior experience.
Work is a big part of your life -the choices you make play a big part in determining the quality of your lifestyle as you get older.
5. The WFNL community is tight-knit. Why does that matter to Arrow as naming rights partner, and what does the relationship look like beyond the scoreboard?
Arrow is a business that was built on servicing customers in the west. A large part of our workforce in Melbourne was born and bred in the west. Giving back to the community associated with the west is a satisfying process and a journey the entire team is excited about.
Having good people in the business is important to Arrow. People who are connected to a sporting club are traditionally good, values-driven individuals.
If you’re thinking about a career in logistics with Arrow Transport or know someone who should be, head to www.arrowtransport.com.au/qrcode to get in touch with the team.
