From Trainee to District Manager in record time

At age 25, Kasper Straunstrup is currently the youngest District Manager in Denmark – and he has accomplished this in just six years.

As newly appointed District Manager, Kasper Staunstrup was recently on a tour in West Jutland, Denmark, to visit the ten visits he will be charge of.

But he was not alone – a film crew from the regional TV station joined him. They were impressed by his fast-track career and wanted to tell his inspiring story to their viewers.

“It was quite an unusual experience, but they were really nice and good at being ‘the fly on the wall’. I am also really pleased with the TV clip because I think it reflects me very well and showcases the great career opportunities at JYSK,” says Kasper.

Surprising career opportunities at JYSK

Kasper began his career as a trainee at JYSK Academy after one of his acquaintances told him that if he wanted an education with a lot of future opportunities, JYSK was the place for him.

“To be honest, I had not even considered JYSK for my career. I had maybe visited a store four or five times to get some basic stuff. But once I learned more about the trainee education, I applied for a position and was fortunate enough to be accepted,” says Kasper.

He started as a trainee in 2011, and during his two-year education at JYSK Academy, he was awarded the title as Trainee of the Year in 2013. He finished his education the same year and became Sales Leader in 2014 before taking the next step as Store Manager Trainee. In 2016, he was put in charge of the JYSK store in the city of Aars.

Valuable experience as Store Manager

Although Kasper only worked as Store Manager for 14 months, he is convinced that his experience is very valuable in his new job as District Manager where he is now supporting ten Store Managers.

“I think my own experience as Store Manager gives me a very good understanding of my colleagues’ perspective. I know what kind of challenges you face as Store Manager, and I expect to use this in my new job. On top of that, I also have some great role models in my more senior District Manager colleagues,” says Kasper.

As District Manager, Kasper will spend more time working on a computer to keep track of the performance. But he will still prioritise store visits.

“I just love being in the stores and seeing how things are going. It is when you look people in the eyes that you see how the situation really is,” says Kasper.

Facts about Kasper Staunstrup

• 25 years old and living with his girlfriend
• Began his career as trainee at JYSK Academy in 2011 and was awarded the title as Trainee of the Year in 2013
• In 2014, he became Sales Leader, then Store Manager Trainee in 2015 and Store Manager in 2016
• On March 1st 2017, he was appointed District Manager for West Jutland, Denmark.