lecturer

support associate

coach

examiner

information officer

Coleg-Gwent

I am currently working as an Administrative Assistant for Coleg Gwent, Crosskeys Campus.  I have decided to take Voluntary Severance as of the 01 September 2015 and I am now starting to seek alternative employment.  Please see enclosed my CV.    If my work profile interests you and may fit a post within your company or one that may arise in the future,  then please,  continue to read the rest of this covering letter that will tell you a bit more about myself.
My parents have owned a local business for 30 years.  As a result of that I have grown up in the public eye.  I have very high people skills and find I can read peoples moods easily and pre-empt if there is a problem arising and act on it swiftly before anything escalates.  I am comfortable in front of house and find that a personal touch is often the key to a good relationship.  I always address a person as they address me as I find this puts them at ease.  I.e. Miss, Mr or their name.  I also find that remembering and commenting on small details about service users can aid this relationship.  I.e. How is [child's name].  I have a very calm manner and I find that people relate well to me within a short space of time.    I have a logical mind which aids me with queries that may be different to a day to day query and if I cannot find the answer I will endeavour to find someone who can and report back to the service user.
In the first year of employment with Coleg Gwent, I was both staff and a student studying full time in my second year of my AVCE qualification.  I had to prioritise as I was relying on members of staff for my tutoring but they were in return relying on me for support in the evenings.  I carried this out in an unbiased way ensuring that tasks were completed on a priority basis.  
The second and third years I was both Evening IT Technician and an Administrative Assistant within the ESF Project and then Administrative Assistant within a Retention Project.  This shows that I am adaptable and that I can be professional within the working environment and that I have high IT skills.  I then spent many years being the Administrative Assistant for the Health and Social, Childcare and Independent Living Skills Department.  I was specific to this department and as such was managed by the Head of that Department.  Within this role I learnt to recognise the different levels of support, different levels of mainstream and ILS students/staff require and how adjustments of working environments and materials can affect learning, both positively and negatively.  There were often occasions that my role was more of a Personal Assistant than that of an Administrative Assistant.  
Whilst in my Current post I have undergone many in house training courses, including Data Protection policies and I have obtained L1 British Sign Language.  Unfortunately due to an unexpected bereavement in the family I was unable to take my Level 2 British Sign Language exam however; I was progressed to Level 3 due to personal performance.  I taught OCN BSL for a year following this.
In the eleven years I have been employed by Coleg Gwent I have seen many changes to include employees, Systems and college structure.  There is always a unsettled period surrounding these changes but I tend to find the best in a bad situation and always help the staff and students adjust to the new procedures.  I often create "Click by Click" notes when a new system is put in place to aid staff and students in using them.   I find that the complex notes that can be produced with new systems do not suit all users and can actually dissuade some of the less IT capable of using them.   By producing basic notes and talking people through these notes in groups, I find it eases the pressure off our admin team in the long run.  
Due to working in an environment that incorporates many different levels of learning and many social backgrounds, I have learnt to adapt my communication skills to the service user I am dealing with at the time i.e. When dealing with an ILS student, I know to use Basic Language and to use real life examples or visual aids to help them understand what I am telling them.  
I am aware of the importance of Hierarchies within a company and that when an issue arises, if I cannot solve it myself, I know there is an initial person that should be contacted depending on what the issue is.   I will only go to the highest person if the issue warrants it.  I.e. Police matter or if I am instructed to.   I am also aware that although people may be equal within the organisational structure, one person may be more adapt to deal with an enquiry or opportunity than another and will refer it to them accordingly.
Within my current job there are often scenarios that could potentially create problems.  I have learnt that pre-empting these and solving them before they arise can maintain harmony within the workforce i.e. Education Maintenance Payments are paid to the students fortnightly but if a tutor has not marked a register them the payment will be lost.  I run a fortnightly report before payment cut-off date and chase up any unmarked registers.  I am used to working in an environment that it mainly people based but has a lot of background preparation/ work that is often not seen.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The Newport campus is a pleasant environment to work in. Colleagues and students are supportive and CPD is encouraged. Sometimes the workload is hectic, but that applies to any workplace.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The workload can be variable and is sometimes very hectic, which makes the time go by quickly!

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Very supportive and pleasant. CPD is encouraged and colleagues are approachable.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
As a temporary science technician, there are ‘fixed’ responsibilities that need to be carried out on a daily basis, such as looking after the animals and plants and making sure the labs are clean. Other than that no two days are the same as different experiments are being prepped for and cleared away all the time. The job is varied and time passes quickly.

I have fully enjoyed my employment at Coleg Gwent. The focus is always 'the learner is at the heart of everything we do' a fantastic driver in ensuring that all staff adhere to the same principles. 
Management ask for opinions and where possible act on these to ensure that departments develop and continue to run smoothly providing a fantastic opportunity to be part of a team that is driven and passionate about what they are setting out to achieve.

A typical day at work is varied and very busy as a PA to the VP's (Vice Principals & or Campus Directors). Challenging enjoyable work get to meet lots of people.

Working in an Education environment is totally different from working in a normal office. Getting used to the term times etc took some doing especially if you dont have children of your own etc.

Management are friendly and helpful. Co workers are easy to get along with.

The hardest part of the job for me was the terms and getting used to working in an educational environment but once I did I throughly enjoyed it.

Sense of acheivement.

At Coleg Gwent on work experience I 
 mucked out the horses, fed and gave them fresh water, brushed the horses, turned them out in the field and bought them back in, also rode the horses.
while doing this experience i learnt a lot more new things about horses that i did not  know before.
the work place was a very bust yard with all other people willing to learn.
the hardest part of this job was working with new horses i did not know but i was wiling to learn and try new things.
The most enjoyable part of this job was riding the horses and brushing them and just being around them.

A good place to work with excellent support from the  Head of School.  
Very good opportunities on offer to upskill and further your qualification.
Some classes can be extremely challenging with learner's behaviour and attitude towards learning, but this is all part of teaching.  It is very rewarding to see your students achieve their qualifications.

Coleg Gwent was a very welcoming college. I believe Coleg Gwent is very well adapted to fit many people. The help and support provided here is brilliant. I will miss this campus but I do not believe this is the type of place I fit into. I am making this change as I am interested in starting an apprenticeship due to the funding issues. I believe I am more suited to the practical side of things, doing and earning.

I have worked through many changes of management plans in my time at Coleg Gwent. Currently I am enjoying working here again, there is a large workload and often pressure to meet short notice deadlines. Team relationships are better, however more expectation to work harder.


Coleg Gwent provided me with many transferable skills, that I didn't have before, for example experience with enrolment that can be used in other educational facilities, experience with the general workings of  a further education facilities and experience with the EBS computer system.

If you don’t mind working in a place that does not care about staff safety or wellbeing then Coleg Gwent is the place for you.  No matter how many concerns you raise, when a student makes threats of violence - nothing happens to them. They get to stay in class, intimidating staff and students.  Management just brush it all under the carpet.  Not a healthy environment to work in. 

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Lecturer 33 salaries reported	£37,096 per year
Support associate 15 salaries reported	£15.59 per hour
Coach 8 salaries reported	£27,623 per year
Examiner 1 salary reported	£15.22 per hour
Information officer 1 salary reported	£27,201 per year

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