After joining NCFE in November 2022, Helen Ketteringham, Executive Director of People, reflects on her first months in the role, her career to date, and how the educational charity has evolved as it heads towards its 175 year anniversary.
How have you found the first few months in your role?
“I’ve been welcomed into the NCFE team wholeheartedly and have enjoyed meeting so many great people. I’ve observed that colleagues share a strong passion for NCFE’s vision and purpose, which is really energising.
“The weeks are flying by, and I’ve been spending my time so far understanding the business and our future aspirations. I really look forward to working with talented colleagues to achieve our people vision.”
What is NCFE doing well from a people perspective?
“We have a skilled and dedicated People Services team who work at the heart of the business to provide progressive policies, frameworks, resources, and support to enable colleagues to achieve our business outcomes and enjoy fulfilling careers.
“NCFE invests in its colleagues and offers great benefits, including a personal development budget and time provision that empowers colleague-led learning. This is supported by a developmentally focused leadership approach and internal coaching solutions.
“NCFE responds to changing times proactively and listens to colleagues. An example of that is the recent introduction of ‘Connection Days’ which aim to balance the benefits of hybrid working with the need for colleagues to spend time collaborating and learning together.”
What opportunities have you seen within NCFE?
“As we strive to deliver our vision for people, we recognise the need to be agile in our practices and mindset. NCFE has a vast heritage and having grown in scale and maturity, continues to learn and evolve. We’re living in times of significant change, which creates uncertainty and demand, but also opportunities to innovate and to influence positive change in the world of work.
“NCFE promotes learning for everyone and values equality, diversity, and inclusion. We have a wealth of skills, experience, and aspirations within our workforce, and it’s good to hear of internal talent movement during recent months. Strengthening our capabilities will enable us to strive forward and shape real change.”
Tell us a bit about your career to date.
“I’ve enjoyed a varied Human Resources career, previously working in retail, financial services and local government. I’m a qualified coach with a keen interest in psychology and believe that everyone should have access to continuous learning and career development.
“I also volunteer as a mentor to young people through the Steps Ahead Programme and support career strategy in local schools for the Career Enterprise Company.”
Have you always wanted to work in HR and what do you enjoy about it?
“I chose to pursue HR during sixth form at school and have now exceeded 20 years in the industry. It’s a privilege to help others find purpose, happiness and success at work whilst adding value to the organisation. “No two days are the same and working in HR certainly comes with challenges – however, I really enjoy the profession. I work with a fantastic team of people and feel well supported professionally by the CIPD and Association for Coaching communities.”
What attracted you to the role at NCFE?
“When I first connected with NCFE, I felt compelled by its vast heritage and societal purpose that benefits the education and careers of current and future generations. During the recruitment process I had inspiring conversations with members of the Executive team, Board of Trustees, and wider business.
“I soon realised a strong values alignment, which is important to me. NCFE’s people share a desire to make a difference and shape real change. The scope and impact are limitless if we harness this energy and apply the combined strengths, aspirations, and perspectives of our people to our business goals.”
Finally, what is the most important thing you’ve learned in your career so far?
“I’m always learning if I remain curious and apply a growth mindset. I know that being completely authentic at work serves us best. As humans we can also choose our response to any given situation, which is empowering and encourages us to consider others’ perspectives and value difference.
“If we start with the why, the what and how will come and coaching can help with that. I’ve also learned that pausing to reflect and take breaks helps me to go faster in the long run. A person’s success can only be measured when we know what success means to them, so self-awareness and discovery is good investment of time.”