Teagan Brown didn’t walk into her first shift at Target with a career plan. She was 15, in Year 9, and just looking for a job where she could pick up some useful skills while figuring out what she actually wanted to do. What she didn’t expect was to fall in love with retail — or to still be there more than a decade later, running her own store.
Today, Teagan is the Store Manager of Target Launceston in Tasmania. And her path from teenage casual to store manager is a pretty good argument for not writing off your first job as just a first job.
How it started
“I looked at retail as being a great first job where I could learn fantastic skills that would carry into whatever job I chose to do in the future,” Teagan says.
That’s a pretty level-headed perspective for a 15-year-old. But about a year in, something shifted.
“I realised that I really had a passion for retail. And I started to consider that retail was something I wanted to do as a career.”
From there, she gradually took on more hours, moving from weekend and after-school shifts into part-time work, and then building from there. No sudden leap, just a steady progression that followed her interest.
What the job looks like
Ask Teagan what a typical day looks like as a store manager, and she’ll tell you straight up: there isn’t one.
“There are no two days that are the same.”
Her mornings usually start with the numbers — sales data, performance figures, the kind of detail that tells her how the store is tracking. Then it’s time with her team, checking in, seeing how people are going. Then a walk of the store through the eyes of a customer.
“I walk the store and see what the customer experience is like, from the entry point to the exit point and everything in between.”
Stock availability, product placement, the overall feel of the store — all of it sits with her. It’s a role that mixes strategy, people management, customer experience, and operations, often all before lunch.
And importantly, she makes sure it’s fun.
“We like to have a laugh and a joke because after all, we spend a lot of time at work. We want to make sure it’s a good place to be.”
The opportunities nobody talks about
One of the things Teagan is most enthusiastic about is the kind of opportunities that came her way through Kmart Group that she simply wouldn’t have found elsewhere.
She led a community project from start to finish, coordinating with key stakeholders across the business and delivering something that made a lasting impression on her team. She completed her Certificate IV in Indigenous Leadership, something she describes as deeply personal.
As a proud Palawa woman, being able to connect her work life to her culture and history — in a safe and supportive environment — has been one of the most meaningful parts of her career.
“It meant I could really connect my work life to my personal life and my history, and be really proud to celebrate that within a safe working space.”
She’s also travelled interstate, to Hong Kong, New Zealand, and soon to the Philippines, all through work.
“How many businesses can you say you’ve got the opportunity to spend a couple of days in that fantastic setting with fantastic peers, and see parts of the world you may not have seen before?”
What Target and Kmart Group offer
Teagan’s story isn’t a one-off. Target, as part of the Kmart Group (which sits under Wesfarmers), operates around 130 stores nationally and employs people across store networks, distribution centres, and its corporate support office. Entry-level roles are open to people from age 15, with no prior experience required — just a willingness to show up and learn.
From there, the pathways are real. Team leader roles, department management, and store management are all well-established progression points within the business. For those who go on to study, the Kmart Group Graduate Program offers structured two-year rotations across functions like inventory, people and capability, and more, with a permanent placement upon completion.
The skills that follow you everywhere
Whether retail becomes your career or just your starting point, Teagan is clear on one thing: the skills stick.
“There are so many transferable skills that will take you right through your career, no matter what you choose to do. Whether it be your first job into your second, or maybe once you’ve finished studying years down the track.”
Customer service, communication, problem-solving under pressure, time management, learning to work in a team — these are the kinds of skills that show up on every job description in every industry. Retail is one of the fastest ways to build all of them at once.
“The relationships and friendships you build along the way will build your confidence to challenge yourself and do different things,” Teagan says. “Step outside your comfort zone. You will grow and you will learn from those experiences, and they will stay with you from now until the end of your working career.”
Thinking about giving it a shot?
Target has hundreds of roles across its store network, distribution centres, and support office. Whether you’re after casual hours around school, a part-time role while you study, or a genuine long-term career path, it’s worth exploring what’s on offer.
Teagan started at 15 with no plan. Now she manages a store, has travelled internationally through work, and continues to grow in a career she never expected to love.
Sometimes the best way to find out what you want to do is to just start somewhere.
Explore careers at Target here.
