Karen shares her experiences – celebrating 20 years in business

This year, we are celebrating 20 years in business and are involving our staff in celebrations by asking of their experiences over the years.

There is no better person to start our staff interviews than with one of our longest serving employees, Karen McAra.  Karen has worked with Polaris Learning since David Brown set up the business in 1996.

1. Can you tell us a bit about how you started out and the journey that took you to Polaris Learning?

I finished a degree in Business Studies at the Robert Gordon University and once I had graduated we received job notifications through the University and a job at David Brown Training was advertised and looked interesting, so I applied for it.

a.  Which position was it that you applied for?

A Training and Development Consultant.

b.  Did you have any experience of training and development prior to joining Polaris Learning?

No, just that I had done my Business Studies degree. I worked in catering before that in a part time capacity, so this was all completely new.  But I knew on the back of my Business Studies degree, I did not want to go into accounting which was a popular route at the time for people graduating with a Business Studies degree.  So it was looking out with for something which I could use some of my skills I’d taken from university.

2.  Would you say Polaris Learning are quite keen to employ and develop employees within their roles?

Yes, I think they are pretty open minded as well as kind of where their employees will end up in terms of what they are interested in and the skills that they’ve got and where they are best placed within the company.  That’s certainly how I have developed; I have had lots of opportunities.  Which is why I am still here 20 years later!  When I had thought it was time for something else, something new had come in that was really interesting.

3.  How long have you been with Polaris Learning?

It will be 20 years this September.

4.  What is your current job at Polaris Learning?

I manage the team of consultants delivering training and qualifications to the energy sector.  I cover all of the competency work we are doing and the ILM work we are doing in the energy sector.

5.  Thinking about your time with Polaris Learning, how do you think things have changed over the years?

a.  How have training / learning and development changed in your view?

I think there are a lot of the same issues.  A lot of what we do is giving people recognition for the skills that they have.

In my opinion, it is very common for competence assurance to be seen as an unnecessary evil.  But I think there is a huge amount to be gained from having training and assessment in place showing peoples’ skills and also using it to develop people in their roles and develop them beyond that.

b.  Would you say training / learning and development has or has not become more important

No I don’t think so.  I think from our side it’s just changed over the years.  I think the industries that we work in have changed; I feel a lot of the issues would have stayed the same.  There is now a different perspective put on training and learning and development in terms of compliance.  There are a lot of battles; “it’s a burden”, “it’s extra work” … there’s a bit of that as well.

Explaining the positives behind is becoming more and more apparent.

c.  In your opinion, has the focus between soft skills and technical skills changed over the years?

No, I think technical skills are easier to deal with so I think the soft skills are often not done effectively.  It’s almost looking for a solution of what’s the most effective way to train in soft skills and then assessing soft skills.

I think it has always been a difficult issue, I think technical is easier.  I think soft skills is often under looked, there are people being promoted and then are not given the necessary training. I feel it is assumed that they can go into that role and perform effectively without giving them the training and development that they really need to be effective.  They may be good technically, but it does not mean they have got all of the necessary skills needed for that role.   We should look at how we develop people into those roles.

6.  Looking back on your time with Polaris Learning:

a.  What have been the main highlights?

• Learning my trade in the Paper Industry many moons ago – I worked in paper mills all over the UK including Aberdeen, Fort William, Cardiff, Dartford & Inverurie – as part of this I helped develop Assessment resources, trained assessors, provided support and guidance & I was also heavily involved in Health and Safety as part of this
• Designing, developing & implementing the “first for safety passport” within the Construction industry, working alongside Eric Macleod J (the stories we had to tell as part of that work!!!)
• Taking around 40 candidates through MAs in Management at Level 3 & 4 in Orkney – it was hugely satisfying to see people achieving these qualifications (which are notoriously hard to get completions on) & I got so stay with my Grandparents which was an added bonus
• Coming back from Maternity leave and getting involved in the Energy Sector and reaching the point where I am now responsible for managing the team….some of the highlights in the last 10 years…..
• Running the satellite centre for KCAD where we now deliver assessor & verifier training and qualifications in the North Sea and throughout the world (& getting to work with Scott Jenkins!!)
• Implementing a very successful L&D9DI programme for a Drilling Contractor where we trained, supported & assessed up to 500 assessors
• Remote learning – seeing candidates achieve qualifications throughout the world due to PLUS and being able to provide the required support & guidance to allow us to do this remotely

I think the reason I’ve worked here for so long is that I really enjoy what I do, I enjoy the variety, the challenges and seeing how things evolve and develop (with blending learning & online learning being a very exciting addition to our repertoire!!, I really like seeing people develop and achieve things they maybe thought they wouldn’t/couldn’t and the people I work with are ok as well!!!!

b.  If you were looking back, what hints and tips would you give yourself?

Well I think to take, well I think I did it, take the opportunities that are given to me, be open minded about when you are asked to do something that is maybe a little bit scary, but be open minded and try it.  Go and do it and see what it is.

7.  How do you think training / learning and development will evolve over the next 20 years?

I think more and more online and remote learning, I think that’s the way it will go as they are both cost effective solutions.