Meet Your Colleagues- Paula Philpott

Here at SERC we are keen to promote internal colleagues to allow staff the opportunity to get to know each other and put a face to the name, particularly due to the size and scope of SERC.  With this in mind, “Meet your Colleagues” is a fun Q and A exercise to help raise awareness of people’s roles within SERC and allows you to get to know more about your fellow colleagues.

This week’s, “Meet your Colleagues” features Paula Philpott. Paula's job role within SERC is Head of the Learning Academy within the Learning Academy Department.

1. What does your role at SERC involve?  

I lead a talented team who design and deliver a range of learning and development solutions to support the skills development of SERC staff. This includes: staff induction; mentored support; teacher training; technology enhanced learning (contributing to the digital strategy and skills development of staff); compliance training; webinars; lecturers into industry;  leadership and management development and training for external partners through the international department.

In the last two years we have provided training to lecturers and managers in Colleges and Universities in Thailand, Japan, Uganda, Italy, Dublin and Slovenia on active learning, technology enhanced learning, mentoring and change management. It a varied role and every day is different.  

 2. Tell us a bit about your background?

Born and raised in Limavady, I have worked mainly in the education sector, firstly in the school sector and then in Further Education. I have written materials for sector skills councils and provided training to teachers in a range of countries and sectors before taking up this post. My dad was an engineer and took me stock car racing from a young age.

I studied maths and theoretical Physics at St Andrews University and nearly ended up working in coding! I have always had a passion for teaching and for education in general.

3. What 3 words best describe you?

Responsive, enthusiastic and constructive.

4. What do you like to do outside of work? 

I am a huge Formula One fan! I love Sunday afternoons watching the race and Saturdays watching the qualifying. My children still tease me about the amount of times we convinced them that watching the Formula One was a great way to have ‘family time’ – but they love it now (I hope!).  

For me the excitement is in the balance between innovative technology, driver skill and the thrill of the sport. Did you know that approximately 80 000 components come together to make a F1 car and they last on average 7 races, drivers lose about 4kg weight in each race and cars can reach a speed of 360 km/h during the race?  

5. If you could swap jobs for a day who would it be and why?  

It will be no surprise based on the last answer, that I would love to shadow / swap jobs with Toto Wolff (Mercedes team principal).

Since Wolff joined Mercedes in 2013, the team has achieved a remarkable winning percentage of 65%. He deals with multiple stakeholders, encourages an environment of autonomy and transparency, where innovation is encouraged! I think he would love FE.

6. List 3 items you would want with you if you were stranded on a deserted island?  

Satellite phone, hammock and guitar  

7. What is your favourite film and why?

My favourite film is, "Enemy of the State" starring Gene Hackman and Will Smith and directed by Tony Scot. I think it is a more interesting film than it perhaps gets credit for. It combines being an action movie with a subtle commentary on protection and privacy and came out three years before 9/11.  

8. Where do you most want to travel, but have never been?

China. For several years, I taught English to Chinese students. I have been fascinated with the country and culture ever since I was at school. I volunteered for a China based charity for several years and have planned a number of times to travel to it, but unfortunately it has not worked out.

When our children were younger, we set a budget for them each year and challenged them to find where we could go on that budget. We have travelled to some incredible places and created amazing memories but unfortunately China was never on their list of places to go!  

If you would like to partake in “Meet Your Colleagues” please contact Roisin Morgan (Marketing and Engagement Intern) at rmorgan@serc.ac.uk for more details.