ON THE MOVE

After six years as a driver, I qualified as a driver trainer in September. I always like to challenge myself and for me this was the chance to take a next step. Our role is to guide trainees, build up their skills and make sure they have the confidence and route knowledge they need to drive safely. I’m enjoying the new role, being alongside trainees in the cab and passing on my knowledge and experience.

The greatest satisfaction will be to see trainees out there on their own. That means my job will have been done! Over the years, I’ve developed a lot of knowledge and good driving habits, so I enjoy passing those on to new drivers and motivating and encouraging people.

A good trainer is someone who is comfortable teaching and listening. As well as having a wide knowledge of the correct information, a good trainer should also be approachable and have the ability to adjust their approach to different people.

Before I joined London Overground I’d never even used the train before! It was a 180-degree change of career. I worked as a trainer manager for a hotel chain. I had a team of 60 and was in charge of all the health and safety training. But I was ready for a change and wanted to challenge myself. There was a lot to learn but I found I really enjoyed the responsibility of being in charge of a train.

Outside of work, I enjoy playing tennis. I had some one-to-one lessons a few years ago because, while I used to play tennis as a child, I wasn’t sure if I had the right technique. Now I’m just practising more – they say practice makes perfect! It’s also a nice way to relax – I think keeping a healthy balance in life is very important.