Article: “If you are Chartered, your voice matters” Written by Georgia Lewis Friday 08 May 2026 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email From young fatherhood to becoming the HSE leader on a major Norwegian infrastructure project, Kyle Armstrong CMgr MCMI, our Chartered Manager of the Week, reflects on his journey to accreditation Kyle Armstrong CMgr MCMI had to grow up quickly. He left school after completing his GCSEs and became a father at the age of 17. With new responsibilities at a young age, he joined the workforce as a warehouse supervisor. This was an early sign that he would end up following a career path that would take him into management. “When I started my career in logistics, they must have seen some natural leadership skills,” Kyle recalls. “I'm very comfortable talking to people and communicating with people; I’ve never felt scared or afraid in any room I’ve been in, because I speak firmly into my personality. We’re all human beings; it doesn’t matter whether you’re the CEO or not.” Discovering the value of lifelong learning Kyle progressed to become a logistics manager and worked for more than ten years at Coca-Cola Hellenic in Ireland. This is when he began to gain additional vocational qualifications while on the job, such as training in internal auditing, quality assurance, leadership and ISO standards. Are you a Chartered Manager with a story to tell? We’re always on the lookout for inspiring stories from our community of Chartered Managers. You could feature in an article on our website and in our member newsletter. Contact us When Kyle left Coca-Cola to join a construction firm, he was asked to step into a health, safety and environment (HSE) officer role: “HR actually approached me [about this role], so the first thing I did was undertake my NEBOSH National General Certificate in occupational health and safety, and then I spent six or seven months learning the ropes.” While working in the construction and waste management sectors, he used Northern Ireland’s government-funded Skill Up programme to obtain a Level 3 qualification in leadership and management. “This reflected my technical knowledge and the application of that to the working environment,” he explains, adding that this formal recognition was a revelation, turning subconscious habits, such as mentoring team members, into conscious, strategic management practices. This success fuelled a drive to complete a Level 5 Certificate in leadership and management, as well as ISO 14001 internal auditor training. Keep reading – more from Kyle Login or register below for Free Instant Access Login If you are already registered as a CMI Friend, Subscriber or Member, just login to view this article. Confirm your registration Login below to confirm your details and access this article. Log in Register for Free Access Not yet a Member, Subscriber or Friend? Register as a CMI Friend for free, and get access to this and many other exclusive resources, as well as weekly updates straight to your inbox. Article Our extensive range of articles are designed to keep you in the loop with all the latest management and leadership best practice, research and news. Members See More CMI Members have access to thousands of online learning and CPD resources. Learn more about our membership benefits Join The Community CMI offers a variety of flexible membership solutions, tailored to your needs. Find out more and get involved in the CMI community today.
