International Women's Day
We are proud to share some profiles from inspirational women in the Blackpool Sixth Community.
We hope that you enjoy reading their stories and that they inspire you.
Jill Gray
Principal at The Blackpool Sixth Form College
Roles/Responsibilities
Simply put, my overarching role is to provide strong and effective leadership to ensure that our students (prospective, current and former), our staff, and our all the people connected with Blackpool Sixth receive the very best experience.
What achievement are you most proud of?
My single proudest achievement is raising and supporting my lovely family but I am also very proud of the dedication and hard work that I’ve given to my career, which has taken me from being a part-time teacher to becoming the principal of a successful sixth form college.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
There have been many barriers that I’ve had to overcome to enable me to reach where I am today. Most noteworthy was becoming a single parent whilst working full-time and raising my two children. Some smaller yet significant barriers have been not having the qualifications I needed to progress in my career which meant studying for a master’s degree part-time whilst working full-time and juggling family life. On a more personal level, the idea that I needed to be ‘perfect’ in order to fulfil my ambitions – this is definitely not true. One other thing, not necessarily a barrier, but a challenge we can probably all relate to, is finding the perfect work and home life balance – unfortunately, I’m still working on that one!
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
I could give lots of advice from my life experiences. Without sounding too cliche and generalised, I would say that believing in yourself and your abilities is the most important. Having this mindset is what will push you to try new things and take on greater responsibilities. Another is to remember that you can always reach your destination, you might just need to take a slightly longer route than others.
A really important piece of advice I would also give is to make sure you don’t disconnect from your personal and social life whilst on your journey. The love and support of family and friends will be invaluable throughout your life so never lose sight of that. And finally, be kind to yourself and others, always.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
I have so many role models in my life but I’m going to focus on women given it’s International Women’s Day. Firstly, my daughter who has had to overcome significant health issues but is now the mother to a beautiful little girl and has recently set up her own business; my mum who is just amazing, my friends and family who are constantly a source of inspiration, the staff I work with who just wow me with their amazing talents and our students who have shown such resilience over this last twelve months. I’m also in awe of anyone working on the front line throughout this challenging pandemic – they are such an inspiration.
Caitlin Mackridge
I am the Communications and Design lead for the Karta Initiative, an international NGO. I am also a freelance artist and illustrator.
Roles/Responsibilities
My work spans a broad range of creative disciplines, including graphic design, UX/UI design, illustration and project management.
What achievement are you most proud of?
When I was young, I used to dream of doing something academic, artistic and socially/environmentally valuable. I’m so happy to be working in a space where I can combine these different areas of interest.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
When I was younger, I had very little exposure to different career pathways. I made a lot of assumptions about different industries and the roles in those streams. I had to make a lot of effort to go and find this information for myself. I also had a lot of self-doubt, something which a lot of young women struggle with. This can be a real barrier to unlocking opportunities.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
- Don’t focus on fitting into working environments, instead, focus on shaping those environments to be more welcoming for other women and minorities.
- Back yourself. If you see a job you are interested in, but you don’t quite fit the criteria, apply for it anyway. Be confident and be bold – it will help you unlock so many more opportunities, and it will help you to bounce back when you (inevitably) face rejections.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
I feel really inspired by any person who is taking risks to open doors for women and other disadvantaged groups.
Abhinandana Kodanda
Artistic Director – Abhinandana Dance Academy based in Preston
Roles/Responsibilities
- As a performer, teacher & choreographer, Abhi has nurtured a community of south Asian dancers in the northwest.
- Through Abhinandana Dance Academy, she has offered Dance education to around 300 people of all age groups. An academic approach to learning South Asian dance was formulated by grade wise theory & practical exams.
- With over 20 years of experience as Arts Manager, Abhi had collaborated with artists and organisations to bring multi layered dance projects to the audience.
- She has keenly worked on Audience development and appreciation for the dance form and has been instrumental is shaping this sector in the northwest.
- Invited guest performers to interact with the students and also present their choreographic works.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
- There was no awareness of the art form which discouraged people to take it up or include this in the main stream events.
- Resources like musicians, costumes were not available.
- Major gigs happen in places like London, Liverpool, Manchester and rarely in the North West.
What achievement are you most proud of?
- I am extremely proud and feel humbled that I was able to empower the community through South Asian dance
- I was able to bring international artists to the northwest especially Blackpool for the audiences to interact with these artists and experience high quality dance recitals with live music.
- We were the chosen dancers to perform at Tour De France festival, London International Arts festival, Bradford music festival, Catch the wind Kite festival to name a few.
- We were also invited to perform at the House of Commons to present a special dance feature in November 2019
- Happy to have played a role in developing the next generation of dancers/choreographers
- I am very proud of the way we have adapted during this pandemic by keeping participants uplifted and motivated through virtual classes, workshops, conversations & performances.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
- Strengthen your knowledge base
- Be innovative
- Build a strong network
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
My mother who is a professional dancer is my role model and a constant source of inspiration.
Catherine Fritsch
Assistant Optics Host Manager at Nokia, Nuremberg, Germany.
Roles/Responsibilities
Project assistance, supporting with English language, arranging and moderating meetings, social media ambassador, event planning, procurement, organising real estate projects
What achievement are you most proud of?
Getting my degree in German and Politics from the University of Nottingham, emigrating alone to Germany and building a career.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
Coming from a low income family, I felt I had to work a lot harder than others. I missed out on a lot of opportunities due to lack of money. Unfortunately, women experience sexism every day and I’ve always made sure to call out any sexism me or my colleagues and friends have experienced. University wasn’t always easy as I was numerously made fun off for my northern accent and my grades fell dramatically after a sexual assault. In spite of this, it was overall a positive experience and I would recommend it.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Always have your goal in mind. Women are often the ones to move location/country due to a man’s career and sacrifice their own dreams. You’re allowed to be selfish. Definitely consider learning languages and keep in mind that universities abroad are a lot cheaper!
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
Every female CEO and businesswoman, Frida Kahlo, all survivors of sexual assault, Marie Curie, Marie Wollstonecraft, Emmeline Pankhurst.
Carolyn Mercer
Retired Headteacher; Member of Lancashire Constabulary’s Stop and Search Scrutiny Panel and Independent Advisory Group; Member of Stonewall’s Trans Advisory Group.
What achievement are you most proud of?
From leaving school at 16 with minimal qualifications and from a poor working class background, professionally I’ve achieved success but helping people both within my paid employment and outside has been my driving motivation and given me most satisfaction and reward.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
A lack of confidence and adequate preparation combined to make my successes a surprise to me… as well as others!
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Set your sights high; accept no deterrence from others; try to find a career that you enjoy – if you enjoy your job, you’ll never ‘work’ a day in your life. Listen to any and all advice but weigh it carefully and make your own decisions.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
Coco Chanel, who said, amongst other things, “Beauty begins the moment when you decide to be yourself.” However, I am inspired by so many people and I learn from everyone… always!
Sarah Shaw
General Practioner – Layton Medical Centre
Roles/Responsibilities
Senior partner of the surgery working with a predominantly female led team delivering healthcare for 7500 patients across Blackpool.
What achievement are you most proud of?
We have recently been involved in recruiting and delivery of the Novavax covid19 vaccine trial – recruiting the first patient in the world to the study!
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
Imposter syndrome! Always feeling like I wasn’t good enough or qualified enough for the role.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Set clear goals to work towards, they can evolve with you but you always have your eyes on the prize! But then try to be mindful and live in the present moment, don’t wish your life away because before you know it you’ll be 40 and wondering how you got there! As clichéd as it is, enjoy the journey you’re on.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
- Michelle Obama
- My Mum & sister
Emma Allen
Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Lead at Capital One UK
Roles/Responsibilities
My role is to develop and enable the delivery of an effective diversity and inclusion strategy. I support individual employees and advise the organisation on matters relating to equality, diversity and inclusion so all our employees feel they belong and can succeed.
What achievement are you most proud of?
I feel proud when employees come to me to say that they have succeeded in some way because of the support I’ve given them. Usually it is just a coaching conversation that gives someone the confidence to improve their own situation. Also, last year I was part of a team that won a leadership award for some work on educating the organisation about racial equity. That was a lovely surprise and I’m proud to work somewhere that recognises the importance of that learning.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
When I first started working in diversity and inclusion over ten years ago now, people didn’t understand its importance. They didn’t want to talk to me about it so I had to win people over. Now the business case is clear, we have legislative and ethical imperatives that are widely recognised. Now the problem is more that I don’t have time to get round to speak to everyone who wants to focus on inclusion.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Really think about what interests you and whether you are operating in a space that you find motivating and inspiring. Also, find other women you can trust and work together to get things done – don’t fall into the trap of competing with one another!
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
My sister is a constant inspiration to me. She is a teacher in Blackpool and is bringing up her own family whilst working full time. She cares passionately about education which is a critical factor in creating a more inclusive society. I was trying to think of a famous person – Michelle Obama is pretty amazing. I love her quote, “When they go low, we go high”. I try to remember that when I get discouraged.
Rachel Harvey
Public Relations, Media and Content Creator at Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles
Roles/Responsibilities
My job is to promote healthy, active and creative lifestyles and maintain the positive image of the charity. I create campaigns to promote activity and I generate videos, news articles, and blogs and other content for social media, newspapers, TV and radio telling the stories of people who have changed their lives through activity.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Cycling the 100 mile Ride London in 2019 was a pretty big deal for me. Not in the distance of the ride but doing the ride and the majority of the training on my own.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
At my university graduation, someone said to me, “You’re middle class now that you have a degree.”It was at that point that I realised I’d never seen myself at a disadvantage because of my background but other people certainly did.
I never saw being dyslexic as something to hold me back, but others did, and I never saw being a woman as a disadvantage, but the unfortunate reality is that some people think it is.
Many of the barriers I have had to overcome are barriers placed there by other people. People have assumed I am stupid because I can’t spell well, assumed I am uncultured because I grew up in Blackpool, or assumed I am not worth listening to, investing time in, or not as capable because I am a woman. I have, over time, gained the confidence to challenge those barriers and the people that set them.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Focus on what you have to do for yourself and your happiness and success and not pleasing other people.
People will try and talk over you in meetings, don’t let them. People will assume you don’t know what you’re talking about or doing until you’ve proven otherwise. If you are from Blackpool people will generate assumptions about you and feel like they have the right to tell you that you are that thing.
You are not what other people decide you are.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
I find cyclists Lizzie Deignan and Laura Kenny inspiring. A lot of sportswomen have been pressured or felt the need to retire from their sport to have children, these women both continued training and their very successful careers following pregnancy listening to themselves rather than doing what people expected of them.
Emma Cheetham
Guest Service Manager at Picsolve (Ride Photography Company)
Roles/Responsibilities
Manage and organise the Guest Service for the business, across the UK, EU and US sites. Creating documents to help support site teams and also working with guests to resolve their queries.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Working my way up from Retail Assistant in the business and moving into my role in our Derby Head Office.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
I don’t believe I’ve had to overcome barriers per say, but sometimes I’ve had to exceed individuals’ perceptions of myself to show my genuine hard work.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
The first leap is the hardest, being shy is also okay but sometimes you have to just speak your mind even if the person you’re talking to is the CEO! Take any opportunity to show what you’re made of, regardless of what anyone else says.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
I’m inspired by the other women I work with and have worked with in the past. Continually I am introduced through my life to people who make life and work enjoyable and rewarding, positive energy attracts like minded people.
Emilia Heard
Level 3 ATA in a SEND school
Roles/Responsibilities
Supporting students with their learning and their individual needs. Focusing on their abilities and knowing different ways to communicate with them such as now and next cards, communication cards, visual timetables. Promoting independence, helping them with life skills and their education.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Succeeding in my level 2 qualification and proceeding onto level 3. As well as de-escalating behaviour and being confident working in larger groups
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
Confidence, knowledge in terms of how to communicate and de-escalate.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
To believe in yourself, not to worry if things don’t go smoothly, we all need to learn. We have to learn to get better! Watch other people in terms of strategies, their thoughts to help gain your own views.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
All staff that work around me.
Kasia Ignaciuk
Senior Estates Surveyor, ScottishPower
Roles/Responsibilities
Providing professional property advice to stakeholders at all levels throughout Scottish Power including: valuation, acquisitions/disposals, compulsory purchase, planning, landlord and tenant, rent review, lease renewal, estate management.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Finishing two degrees (I was committed but never suited to academia). Finding a job in my profession (starting out wasn’t easy, numerous interviews, wrong career choice etc.) Earning enough to put a deposit into my first property. Being part of and understanding British culture
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
Improving my English to be able to think and act like a native speaker. Coming to/living in a foreign country with no friends. Not enjoying my first degree but being committed and finishing it. Not fitting in my professional first job (taking the risk at the beginning of my career and changing companies).
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Make connections and don’t be afraid to speak to more senior people. Research your career choices and go with your heart rather than money.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
My mum and my dad who have their own businesses. They always supported me (even from Poland when I was losing my hope).
Lauren Hutchence
HR Consultant at Sweeting HR
Roles/Responsibilities
As a HR consultant I give employment law advice and guidance too small to medium size businesses within the North West. We support businesses from recruitment to hiring and retiring.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Within 5 years of being with the company I have progressed from a part time admin assistant to a full time qualified HR Consultant.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
Working full time and studying for my HR degree was a very personal challenge for me. I had to prioritise what was most important to myself which was progressing in my career and work out how to structure my life around studying.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Make sure you focus on your career and what it is you want to achieve. Other aspects of your life might seem to feel like they will stop you achieving these goals but as long as you know what it is you want you will get there. Just stay focused.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
Karren Rita Brady, Baroness Brady, CBE she is a British sporting executive, politician, television personality, newspaper columnist, author and novelist.
The reason why she is my role model is, as a woman starting off in a very male dominant environment, she was up against a lot of criticism however, she stuck to her guns and she carried on fighting against any criticism and she turned a company around.
Rachel Broadley
Consultant Anaesthetist
Roles/Responsibilities
Providing anaesthesia for people undergoing surgery.
What achievement are you most proud of?
It’s not one thing… it’s providing safe and compassionate care to people, every day for the thing about surgery a lot of people fear above anything… the anaesthetic!
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
I’ve had a few physical barriers to overcome myself but, professionally, providing you can apply yourself to the study, exams and antisocial hours (especially before becoming a Consultant), there should be no barriers to your success.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Be yourself… find your passion, your niche – then anything is possible. Be kind to yourself and others along the way.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
Other anaesthetists… I’ve had wonderful colleagues to look to during my training years.
Melanie Robinson
Venture Partner, Ark Ventures
Roles/Responsibilities
Ark Ventures launches, incubates and scales ventures which address some of the most intractable problems facing young people and the education system. My role is to provide strategic and operational support to ventures on this journey.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Completing my MBA at the University of Cambridge alongside working in a challenging job and being pregnant with my daughter. Especially proud to have been awarded an academic prize for the research I conducted as part of this course.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
The barriers I created in my mind about what I was capable of achieving.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to be ‘when you grow up’ yet, you have time to figure it out. Take opportunities that interest you and allow you to grow. Trust your instincts and don’t be confined by what others think success looks like.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
My friends, people I have met in many different phases of my life who inspire and challenge me. Also, Michelle Obama.
Jennifer Mottershead
Masters student at Exeter University
Roles/Responsibilities
Studying Anthrozoology
What achievement are you most proud of?
I got a degree in Animal Behaviour at LJMU.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
A lot of self doubt as I went to university at a later age so I was always doubting if I made the right decision.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Don’t let anyone try and tell you what your doing isn’t worth it. Keep fighting for what you believe is right and never give up on your dreams.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
My mother because she raised me as a single parent.
Jane Goodall because she overcame judgement to be a star in primatology.
David Attenborough for taking animal studies to the mass population and making people become aware of what animals are dealing with.
Samantha King
Digital Audience and Content Editor, Newsquest
Roles/Responsibilities
I am responsible for leading on digital innovation and growth at Newsquest’s daily newspaper the Oxford Mail, as well as its sister titles the Herald Series, Bicester Advertiser and Witney Gazette. Day to day, I manage and guide a team of reporters, write and edit news stories and assist in putting the print product together. I am also a regular contributor on national radio station, Times Radio, where I have the opportunity to share our stories and represent the paper.
What achievement are you most proud of?
I had always aspired to be a digital editor by the age of 30, and I achieved that goal five years early when I landed my role at Newsquest. As well as my responsibilities on the digital side of the business, for five weeks of the year I am also responsible for putting together the print edition of the Oxford Mail, overseeing the planning stage all the way through to the final pages being sent to the printers.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
Opportunities in the media industry are certainly not handed to you on a plate, and you really have to work hard to build up a network. News media is still so London-centric. To break into it, I had to volunteer for a lot of unpaid work placements in the city, which is tough financially (and a long way from Blackpool).
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Put yourself forward for opportunities, jobs and experiences that scare you. If it doesn’t fill you with fear and adrenaline, you’re probably overqualified for it. You will surprise yourself in what you can achieve beyond your comfort zone.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
Throughout my journalism career I have met some truly inspiring women. A special mention goes to Cath Murray, a talented features editor who mentored me in my first full-time journalism role. She continues to be a wealth of knowledge and a valued friend to this day.
Jessica Long
Corporate Social Responsibility Lead, Victrex PLC
Roles/Responsibilities
My role involves working with a range of internal and external stakeholders to ensure Victrex has a positive impact on the local communities and environment where we work. In addition, some of my day-to-day role involves building resources to support this agenda as well as liaising with senior managers to implement new strategies and initiatives across the business.
What achievement are you most proud of?
I started this role in 2019 as a Coordinator and after 12 months, following the success of several global CSR initiatives and my contribution to process improvements, I was promoted. I now lead on the Global Corporate Social Responsibility agenda for Victrex.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
This is a new position for the business, showcasing the potential opportunities and development areas for this agenda was challenging as the business was going through a significant reduction in headcount due to COVID-19 challenges and my role doesn’t directly impact business performance.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Don’t be afraid to try something different. Be curious, investigate careers outside of your comfort zone. I started at Victrex without much knowledge about careers within science, manufacturing, engineering – just because a role may have stereotypes doesn’t mean you can’t break the mould. There are plenty of successful women across all industries – take the time to research and pursue something you enjoy. It’s ok not to know what you want to do for a career – it took me until the age of 22 to find my right career path and choosing one career path doesn’t mean you have to continue that for the rest of your life. As long as you work on your core skills, most are transferable across a range of roles.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
The women I work with at Victrex have been a huge inspiration for me. Being able to work with various women across the organisation who work in male-dominated teams has challenged my own perception of careers within certain sectors.
They have shown me that women are able to succeed in areas that are outside of traditional roles and the environments that they work in are not as hostile and intimidating as I had assumed they would be. A lot of it is having the confidence to speak up, your opinion does count and others do want to hear your opinions.
In addition, there are so many more mechanisms in place now to support women within the workplace: diversity & inclusion policies, gender pay gap reporting, international-led awareness days and more.
Shona Woodfine
Chief Executive, Wellington Street Partners Limited
Roles/Responsibilities
I am Chief Executive of a political consultancy company which provides political and policy analysis and advice to clients, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. This is sometimes bespoke to individual clients based on their business/products, and sometimes more general (usually for international clients) with regards to the UK’s political and economic landscape.
What achievement are you most proud of?
I worked for 16 years in the House of Commons – *still* a man’s world – in a variety of different roles: researcher, political assistant, special adviser. It was my dream job, but when I was young, many people told me, “You’d have a better chance of breaking into Fort Knox.”
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
This may sound trite, but alongside the ‘traditional’ barriers women have always faced in politics, I’m also quite titchy! It was often very difficult when I was a young woman to get people to take me seriously and not treat me like a child.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Work hard. Trust yourself: your brain, your instinct, your ability. (Within legal reason!) don’t take no for an answer. Believe in yourself. You absolutely CAN.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
When I was much younger, Mo Mowlem, without a shadow of a doubt! And although it almost kills me to say it, and I absolutely didn’t share her politics, Margaret Thatcher, who played a man’s game better than any of the men.
Ella Savannah Currie
Senior Mobile Imaging Radiographer
Roles/Responsibilities
I am a Radiographer on a mobile MRI scanner for a private healthcare company. I scan patients all around the North of England for a number of clinical reasons and ultimately contribute toward the diagnosis of their health conditions.
What achievement are you most proud of?
I struggled with exams during my time at sixth form but through perseverance and dedication I have pushed myself to achieve a very rewarding career. I receive lots of job satisfaction and have recently bought my first home at 25.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
I found I was great at coursework but really struggled with exams so I had to choose the correct routes to succeed successfully and try not to lose sight of my goals.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Never give up! Follow your heart and do what you enjoy. You can achieve anything you put your mind to and make your goals and dreams a reality. Don’t let anyone dim your sparkle!
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
My mum for being so kind hearted, understanding and respectful – she has taught me morals
Beyoncé for being a fierce and powerful woman on and off stage
Greta Thunberg for standing up for what she believes in and being authentically herself at a young age.
Debbie Taaffe
Regional Manager for Santander
Roles/Responsibilities
I look after 26 branches of Santander across a wide geography I have a team of around 300 who are looking to deliver a great experience for our customers
What achievement are you most proud of?
Studying for a Level 5 HR and ILM qualification whilst bringing a new team together and leading them through a significant change programme of branch closures and working away from home up to four nights a week and that was before the pandemic hit!!
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
Some typical stereotypes of managers not believing that you can combine having a family with having a career thankfully that culture has very much changed on this in recent years and flexible working due to Covid 19 has shown the art of the possible. I would expect further progress on this and geographical challenges to career growth to be minimised as well. Who says you have to live in London to work for a London based company anymore?
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
I’d advise young women to network and to make connections, not to be afraid to ask for help and support – its a sign of strength. Find a mentor to help you believe in yourself, grow your confidence and challenge yourself to be in situations that might feel uncomfortable but that you will grow and thrive in. Manage and control any sign of imposter syndrome.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
Michelle Obama always talks straight and with logic a great example of a strong woman finding balance across all areas of her life and is truly inspirational.
Katie Black
Accounts Department & Trainee Quantity Surveyor for The Baxter Group
Roles/Responsibilities
In my role I liaise with other members of staff and suppliers regarding accounting matters and ensure all the accounts are kept up to date, assisting the companies Group Head of Finance. In addition, I am also undertaking a degree apprenticeship in Quantity Surveying at UCLan, allowing me to learn about engineering and design processes, construction and economics whilst working alongside the Group Head of Commercial who is a proven and experienced quantity surveyor.
What achievement are you most proud of?
I’d say I am most proud of how I stay true to myself and not conform to other people’s ideals, instead of going to university straight after college, I ended up withdrawing my place and I took my time to decide what I really wanted, I traveled a lot and even lived alone in Greece for a year when I was 18.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
I feel that I’ve had to overcome a lot of judgement for my choices, as not everyone approved of me not initially going to university. Starting out in a career mainly dominated by men has also been daunting. This only spurs me on to achieve more though to prove I can have an impact in a male dominated industry and I can succeed in it.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Stand up for who you are, even if you’ve had to hide parts of yourself through your school-life. If you’ve got a goal or something you really want to do, go and do it. Do what makes you happy and let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve it!
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
My role models are:
- Melinda Gates – Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Kelly Smith MBE – Former England women’s football captain
- Elon Musk – Founder of PayPal, SolarCity, Tesla, SpaceX and various more…
- Dr Jane Goodall DBE – Primatologist
Nina Beavers
LGBT+ Coordinator at URPotential.
Roles/Responsibilities
I’m a qualified Youth & Community worker & manage a project that provides a variety of groups for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Trans children, young people & adults. I also run a group for LGBT+ family members, & provide 1 to 1 support. I organise events with & for young people, & deliver LGBT+ Awareness Training.
What achievement are you most proud of?
On a personal level being the best parent I possibly can to my gorgeous son who I adopted 10 years ago, and gently persevering with my very grumpy old cat called Fiz Vicious 🙂
On a professional level delivering a 5 year anti-bullying project and training students to be young leaders in my hometown, and of course my current role which I’m very passionate about. It was also quite nice to reach the finals of the National Diversity Awards for LGBT+ Role Model.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
Being brought up in poverty was difficult, especially for a girl child. At an early age I recognised how sexism affected my day to day life even though I didn’t have a name for it yet! As a consequence of the many disadvantages this brings, one was that I received a poor education as a child. As I developed as a young adult I also felt ‘trapped’ and didn’t feel like I ‘fit in’ due to my developing identity as a gay woman. But hey, I finally broke through feelings of low self esteem about my academic failure and fear of prejudice, but only with the help of many people over the years who believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
It’s tricky here not to write cliches! First of all, never forget you are amazing, and stronger than you think, & stronger than how others can make you feel. Know your rights as a woman and a human being. Be the best you can be in any moment. Seek out people you can learn from or aspire to, take the time to listen, read about other women’s experiences, women with disabilities, BAME women, role models, activists. There will be highs and lows, pay attention to yourself and what you need, and without hurting others, Put yourself first when it comes to your well-being..this is not being selfish, you matter.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
Mostly they are ordinary people who at some point have been a part of my life, but there are so many current and historical powerful figures who drive and inform me. When it comes to more well known people, they are people who speak out to eradicate or highlight injustice and mistreatment to influence change, and insist that we recognise women’s power, and map out our histories as women and girls. Here’s a few of mine (some might be controversial, but I got something from them that clicked with me, look them up).
- Rosa Parks
- Joan Of Arc
- Kelly Holmes
- Amelia Earhart
- Serena Williams
- Martina Navratilova
- Maya Angelou
- Judy Heumann
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Toni Morrison
- Ellen DeGeneres
- Emma Gonzalez
- Jacinda Ardern
To be honest I could go on, there are so many inspiring women, and men (but I’ll save them for IMD2021) but I will finish with these two 🙂 Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel
Chloe Thompson
Director’s Support Manager – Department for Work and Pensions
Roles/Responsibilities
- Managing the Deputy Director’s diary to ensure priority meetings and events take place.
- Hold regular one-to-one meetings with the Deputy Director to help them better understand their engagements, accommodation and travel (pre-Covid-19).
- Complete tasks on behalf of the Deputy Director and his Senior Leadership Team, briefing colleagues and circulating communications.
- Organise and attend forums, steering groups and meetings on behalf of the Deputy Director and Senior Leadership Team.
- Act as an initial point of contact for all general enquiries relating to the Deputy Director.
- Provide guidance and support to the Deputy Director’s team relating to emails and diary requests.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Achieving my promotion to Executive Officer.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
Feelings of imposter syndrome.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
You don’t need to go to university to have a good career. It’s ok if you don’t know what you want to do as a career, I didn’t! Just take every opportunity that comes your way.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
My parents – they always encourage me to be the best that I can be, inspire me to never give up and provide good advice such as if things aren’t working out, bide your time as something better will turn up – and it did for me!
Paris Sorrell Walker
Physician Associate Specialising in Geriatric Medicine at Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust.
Roles/Responsibilities
At present working on a COVID ward, daily tasks include ward round where we develop plans for patients with the consultant, clinical skills, updating and having difficult conversations with families, reviewing acutely unwell patients. On-call duties include seeing new patients who are admitted and creating initial plans for the consultant review, assessing unwell patients and attending crash calls.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Appropriately for IWD, I’m most proud of purchasing my own first home this year, and my educational achievements of course.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
Often it’s personal barriers compounded by society’s perceptions and norms, combined with the doubts other people had in me; which influenced my own self-belief.
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Do something you love, being passionate about your career is a catalyst to success. Most importantly, don’t let anyone else define your limits of success, you can achieve anything you put your mind to!
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
Aside from my wonderful mother, I’m inspired by my seniors around me at work, particularly the female consultants who I feel have also met challenges to get to their position. Outside of work I’m hugely inspired by Dr Hazel Wallace, an NHS doctor and Nutritionist on Instagram, who uses her platform to inspire and educate people/women, and she is always achieving her goals.
Carys Salisbury
Business Apprentice at BAE Systems
What achievement are you most proud of?
I work for a successful global organisation having applied to complete a Level 3 Business apprenticeship. I have responsibilities when put in new placements every 6 months whilst completing my qualifications. By working alongside this helps me adapt what I learn into practice. I follow many roles and responsibilities such as leadership skills in which you need to consider being committed, confident, strategic, driven, trustworthy and creative. You also need to consider qualities such as having clear communication skills, respectful to others, show great integrity and being influential in certain areas.
What barriers do you feel you had to overcome to succeed?
One barrier I have faced has been applying previously and being unsuccessful initially at the current employer but persevered and reapplied to then be successful the second time round. A barrier I will have faced and overcome in the near future is doing “outward bound” with work where I will be put out of my comfort zone to do kayaking, sailing, rock climbing and camping for the week!
What advice would you give to young women starting out in their careers?
Have a clear vision of where you want to go in the future – planning ahead and being prepared is the most important aspect of being successful.
Learn how to prioritise and manage yourself- this helps you understand the steps you need to take to get to where you want to be, you can then go forward with confidence and gratitude. Finally set reasonable goals each month to stay on track, and in the end, you will become that much closer to reaching your goals.
Who are your role models and sources of inspiration?
Within the business, there are so many inspirational people that I look up to in the business I work for mainly for the reason that they started off as an apprentices and are now in extremely high positions dealing with big responsibilities.
These people are inspiring to me as it shows that hard work pays off and if you’re committed to the business you will be successful within the company. I hope to follow in their footsteps and work my way up the business to reach my highest potential.