Beck Roberts takes a six-month sabbatical: Q&A

Many people dream of taking a sabbatical, be it to immerse themselves in a new culture, further their academic studies, or other personal or professional reason. Yet, not many are granted the opportunity by their employer.

That’s why Jayva’s different. Recognising the value of a sabbatical for employer and employee alike – through the gaining of new skills and life experiences which are transferrable to the workplace – Beck Roberts, Jayva’s Technical Project Manager for the UK and Ireland, leaves at Christmas for six-months to go globetrotting with his girlfriend, Alex.

We caught up with Beck ahead of his travels to discover more about his sabbatical including the perks of working for a company like Jayva and his plans for the coming months. Find out what Beck has to say…

Why did you decide to request a sabbatical and how does it feel to be able to take six months off work?

My girlfriend and I have been saving up since we left school. In our minds, our savings were destined for a house deposit when we eventually take out a mortgage on our first home together. Having discussed this over a good few weeks, we’ve decided that there’s a lot of world to see, not enough time to do it in and this chance won’t come round again. So, our house-buying plans are on temporary hold and travelling’s taking its place.

Explain your travel plans.

We’ve chosen the East – New Zealand, Australia and that side of the world primarily, just because it’s the furthest away from home. Their distant location means they’re the hardest and most-expensive places to access for week- or fortnight-long holidays, as flights cost roughly £1,000. By seeing all of these countries in bulk instead, everything’s much more accessible and cost effective.

We know lots of people who are journeying to South America at the moment. It’s a popular and desirable region for obvious cultural reasons – being such a stark contrast to England. But, we wanted to do our own thing and follow our own dreams. So, the East it is.

How did Jayva react to your sabbatical request?

I set up a Teams call to chat with Nicola Moore-Miller, our Global CEO and formidable leader, to submit my sabbatical request. Nic reacted in the best way imaginable – she said ‘yes’ instantly without a second’s hesitation, was absolutely buzzing by my plans and agreed to sort out all the formalities. Later, she told me how sad she’ll be to see me go, albeit for a relatively short period as I’ll be returning in July 2023. I’m extremely fortunate to work for a company like Jayva and really grateful to Nic for this sabbatical opportunity.

Is your itinerary fairly set in stone or are you going to simply let life happen?

Our itinerary is a perfect combination of the two – part planned, part unplanned. We start off by flying to Abu Dhabi and travel by car over the course of a week to Dubai. There’s a fixed schedule for Abu Dhabi and Dubai as there’s lots to do and limited time. We have several bookings for this week’s phase.

From Dubai, we’re flying to New Zealand and spending a week in the North. We’re not actually going to see the South Island at all but we intend to return for a two-week holiday in a few years’ time.

After New Zealand, we’re setting off for Cairns in Australia – the North-Eastern most city. In Cairns, we’re picking up a campervan and spending 41 days driving down the East coast, all the way to Brisbane and Sydney, and through the Blue Mountains National Park to Melbourne. Apart from the campervan, there’s nothing booked for Australia as we’re running a flexible timetable at that stage. We’re going to try skydiving somewhere and snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef as a minimum though.

We’re getting a plane from Australia to Bali then Thailand. As far as a fixed schedule goes, this leg’s where it ends. We’re spending around three-and-a-half months in South East Asia and we’re going to let life unfold, chill out in a series of hotels and hostels, and totally recharge our batteries.

Which places are you most looking forward to visiting?

Without a doubt, we’re most excited about Australia. We literally can’t wait to jump into that campervan and take some long, slow road trips. We’ll have everything we need right with us – kitchen, diner, lounge, bedroom and bathroom rolled into one. It’s our very own home on wheels. This experience will be mega and I’ll be right there with the only person I’d want to do it with – Alex.

We’re eager to sample all the food. We’ve been recommended crocodile and kangaroo in Australia, and we want to try street food in Bali and Thailand. We love eating new meat and new vegetables cooked in varying ways and levels of spiciness. The culinary experience is just as important as the cultural one.

What does it mean to work for Jayva?

To be honest, I’m gutted to leave Jayva. I’ve been with the company since I finished my A levels aged 18 – that’s a space of five years. But, I truly anticipate the next six months being the highlight of my life thus far. Nic’s been so generous by agreeing to my sabbatical request. I wouldn’t be able to go away without her backing. The best bit is I still have a job at the end and return to the Jayva family with a multitude of stories to tell.

Finally, Nicola shares her parting words…

“I’m so excited for Beck and Alex. As a busy working mum, wife and business owner who followed the traditional path of A levels, university, career then kids, the chance to see the world when your responsibilities allow is something I never got to do, so I definitely think sabbaticals should be promoted widely. There was never any question in my mind when Beck asked. Straightaway, I wanted him to go. I was never going to be the person to say ‘no’.

“Beck’s growth and development at Jayva has been immense. In the last 18 months since his promotion to Technical Project Manager, he’s become a key member of our service delivery team. Clients and staff rely on him daily and, to be completely honest, it’ll be tough without him. As always though, our amazing employees will pull together and get through it, and Beck will come back refreshed and refocused in the summer. Time has a tendency to fly and his return will come round in a flash. Beck has worked incredibly hard mentoring and supporting Leon to ensure a smooth transition into the role too, so we’re confident that all his skills won’t get lost or forgotten. I can’t wait to see Beck’s Instagram feed flood with photos and wish him happy travels from everyone at Jayva.”