We are the achievers of possible: Australian Associate is ‘Poster Child for Internal Mobility at BD’

Michelle Tuckfield likes to joke and say she is the ‘poster child’ for taking on different roles within BD – she’s held five roles during her 19-year career history within the company.

She began her career in Customer Service in 2005, taking customer orders and making sure she helped resolve any customer inquiries and issues that came her way. Today, she serves as a Quality Business Partner in Australia, supporting the Supply Chain team for all BD products across Australia and New Zealand.

Michelle focuses on making sure that the quality of the company’s distribution channels remains top-notch. That boils down to making sure BD products being shipped, stored and dispatched are not damaged, and arrive to customers in good working condition. Another big area of focus is continuous improvement – for our processes and for herself, professionally.

“I have enjoyed all of the roles I’ve held at BD these past two decades,” expressed Michelle. “I learned and gained so much from each one. I really do consider myself a great example for moving around the company into new and exciting roles. I know I’m not the same person I was when I started at BD and I’m thankful for that. I’ve grown personally and professionally because of all the different opportunities I’ve had.”

A meaningful BD career journey

After some time in Customer Service, Michelle went into Sales for BD Medical, which she enjoyed because she was energized by the face-to-face interactions with customers -- making sure they had the right med tech solution for their patients. After Sales, Michelle joined the former BD Diabetes Care business and spent 10 years there, including time working in Clinical Marketing, developing educational resources for people living with diabetes.

By this time in her BD career journey, with nearly 15 years of experience behind her, Michelle paused, reflected on what more she wanted from BD, and asked close colleagues for advice.

“When you are with a company for that long, you develop some close relationships, which is terrific. I felt comfortable asking one friend about what it might take to work in Quality. What additional skills would I need to develop or grow?” explained Michelle. “This is a great example of expressing your interest and your desire to stretch professionally. It was not long after that I joined the Quality function.”

Embrace Internal Mobility at BD

When she is asked about what advice she would give to others thinking about a new role within BD, she quickly calls out: Be kind to yourself. “Whenever I’ve stepped into a new role at BD, I’ve had to gently remind myself that I’m leaving a role where I was at the top of my game and a trusted advisor and that I will have a ton to learn. It’s almost like you revert back to an 18-year-old with little knowledge of the work world and it’s ok. Give yourself time to learn the new role and ask as many questions and learn as much as you can!”

Looking forward to celebrating two decades in 2025!

Michelle easily calls out reasons why she remains with the company as she looks ahead to next year when she will raise a glass to 20 years of working at BD.

“The sense of Purpose. We may have changed the words over the years, but the essence is still the same – helping bring the best possible med devices and solutions to market for healthcare professionals and patients. The second reason is the People. People stay with organizations not just because of the company ethos, but because they love the people with whom they work side-by-side.”