Department, Role and office

Tutor Support, Tutor for the NEBOSH Oil and Gas Certificate, and both the National and International Diplomas. Covering tutor for all other courses, include the IOSH Managing Safely. Based in Hessle, UK.

Time with SHEilds:

Been here since May 2013. I've never stayed with the same company for more than three years, so I've nearly reached a personal record.

Reason for joining SHEilds

To have achieve greater work/life balance. In my previous role I calculated that I was spending over one month per year (which equals over 720 hours) driving and travelling. I was leaving early, and getting back late. Since I was planning to start a family I was afraid I would not spend enough time with my children. Luckily SHEilds are based 15 minutes from my home and were looking for a qualified H&S professional with lots of training experience. So I quit my busy role as Group HSE Manager, took a massive pay cut, and I now feel like I have my life back!

Best thing working for SHEilds

The lack of formality. We don't have the procedural restrictions that come with working for a large Plc or bluechip organisation. Everyone is close to hand if we need to speak to them, everyone is readily available, and we have a great time.

Who I interact with as part of my Role and what my day to day job consists of

I interact most of the day with the other tutors who keep me sane! But I mainly interact with students, and the first half of my day is usually spent answering student enquiries, answering emails etc. I spend quite a lot of time assisting students with their exam technique by reviewing answers to past exam questions they've submitted. The second half of the day is usually focused on project work. Projects have included updating and rewriting course materials, developing tutorial videos, marking practical assignments, and assisting my colleagues in the tutor team. We work closely with the Tech Team because, being an eLearning provider, everything we do is influenced by our IT systems.

Biggest achievement whilst working for SHEilds

Hard to choose to be honest! But I think it would be the series of Unit D tutorial videos which I developed with my colleague Paul Owen, the Creative Development Manager. These videos addressed the structure and content of the conclusions, recommendations, action plans and executive summary. They were the first professional video tutorial we made, and it was quite basic visually. But the impact it has had is impressive. Our pass rates for Unit D on the National Diploma have increased to 80% and they are now consistently above the average pass rate globally.

Interesting facts outside of SHEilds

I hold the French record for highest points scored in a Laser Quest game. I also co-founded the "Humanist, Atheist, and Agnostic Society" at the University of Hull in 2010 (it's still going, but organising atheists is like herding cats).

Hobbies / Past times

Avid hiker, fell-walker, and long-distance backpacker. I like to go out for 2 weeks at a time, in the middle of nowhere, as high as I can go, and sleep under the stars.

Random acts of Kindness

I try not to talk about this. I believe that true generosity is "giving without expecting anything in return." What we get in return includes all of the praise and positive attention we get when we tell the world what kindness we've shown or what we've given to charity. It's difficult to give and not even expect thanks or praise. It's not pure altruism. But I think we should give and be kind because it's the right thing to do. Not because it will make us look good. So I try not to make a big deal out of it. Being kind still makes me feel good though, so it is still not pure altruism.

Favourite film

Fight Club

Favourite book

Fiction or non-fiction? So hard to choose!

Non-fiction would be a stalemate between 'The God Delusion' by Richard Dawkins, and 'For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto' by Murray N. Rothbard. I think the world would be a better place if we all read more books by Rothbard!

For fiction, that's really difficult too. I'm torn between the 'His Dark Materials' trilogy by Philip Pullman, and anything by Chuck Palahniuk (who also wrote the original novel for the Fight Club movie).

My advice / tips on successfully completing a SHEilds course

Work hard. Very hard. Don't expect to pass the NEBOSH qualifications on intelligence, common sense, or experience. You will need to study a lot. Don't just memorise, the exams will test your understanding and ability to apply your knowledge to real-life situations. Memorising lists will only get you so far. You need to understand what you're studying and how it relates to real workplaces.