Ana's take on leadership

Tell us about your career path and how you came to decide to take further qualification.

I joined NHSPS as Facilities Co-ordinator. I heard about the opportunity to take a formal qualification to help upskill and develop myself. It was the first time that I learnt about best practice in managing people in a classroom setting. Even though I had worked as deputy manager before, this was the first time I gained formal skills in my field and had the chance to improve my Maths and English at the same time.

What was the course you completed and how has this benefitted you?

I completed my CMI course in Leadership and Management and qualified in 2020. Having transferred from a different organisation, the course helped me to gain knowledge where I previously had gaps. It has given me the confidence to feel more knowledgeable in my field. It has also developed my soft skills to deal with the people side of my job. It’s given me the boost to do my job at my best.

How would you describe leadership in your role?

I believe leadership is about being the best you can be and taking others on that journey with you. For me, I wanted to have the skills to support my team and for my own self-development. The course helped me to achieve this. Taking the leap in your career does take time and commitment. At first, I thought the course was too complicated, but I stuck with it and feel really proud with what I’ve learnt.

What advice would you give to those considering taking on a new qualification?

It’s been a really rewarding experience. I feel more knowledgeable and confident in my role and recommend it to anyone considering it. I’m always asking my team to take training opportunities as sometimes they assume ‘I’m just a cleaner, I don’t need it’. I think it’s important to encourage them to do more for themselves. The Learning and Development team have just released the People Development Directory to help you find suitable courses for your career path.

We are extremely proud to support colleagues with their professional development and, in so doing, provide them with opportunities to develop your career at NHSPS.

We provide a range of options for role related external courses and qualifications, but we also encourage colleagues to seek out courses that will develop their career by expanding their learning in other areas.

This is part of our strategy to get, grow and keep great people.

Find out more about careers at NHS Property Services here.