I completed a 3 year Hair, Beauty & Wigmaking course at Havering College in 1984. I worked as a hairdresser and therapist in hotels, salons, and spas in Romford, Newquay, and Reading, until 1988 when I established my first business within a hairdressing salon in Chelmsford. After a year I enrolled on a teacher training course and returned to Havering College on a sessional post, becoming a full time lecturer in 1992. I was introduced to City & Guilds by my mentor and manager and very soon became an examiner and involved in the development and introduction of NVQs. The bug for quality had bitten and I was chosen as to became an external verifier and held the post of Hair & Beauty Regional Lead Verifier for London & South East for several years. I loved this role, however gave it up in 2001 when I left Havering College to set up my own training centre. The training organisation has changed greatly over the past fifteen years to meet the demands of our learners and the industry. I have been fortunate to be able to maintain a semi-active role as a consultant with City & Guilds working on a variety of product developments, in particular with the assessment team.

Having delivered funded provision for the majority of the business’ life, I have taken the organisation in a different direction, now offering City & Guilds qualifications to mature private learners who are helped to create their own flexible learning plan incorporating the units they would like to study. I really enjoy helping those who have already undergone training, to achieve formal qualifications and am currently developing an online training programme to support this work.
My focus is enhancing the quality of the learner’s journey, whilst meeting the industry’s needs and expectations to create quality provision.