Personally Speaking - Nova Abela

There is a certain uniqueness to Further Education. Yes, we are the next step for education and skills for school leavers and we provide opportunities for adults to upskill, reskill or learn something new. ?We are committed to working collaboratively with partners and stakeholders to create local impact and deliver on our role to support the social wellbeing and prosperity of our communities. But it’s how we do it which makes our environment a very special one. We are ‘One Team’.

The key ingredient is our tremendous team of professional colleagues.? When people step into Further Education it soon takes hold of their hearts and minds when realising the significant impact and contribution we make to individuals, the community, our city and the surrounding area. ?The human connection and unique partnership between learner and teacher binds us together.???

My contribution is through my role as Chief People Officer, abbreviated to CPO minus the 3 (any Star Wars fans will catch the pun).? Having started my career in Human Resources within manufacturing I moved into the Further Education sector some 28 years ago and it definitely won my heart.? I became an honorary Stokie having moved to the area back in my mid-teens, ?progressing through A Levels and into the world of work I found my path into Human Resources.? Since joining the College, I have been supported through to professional qualification status (a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) encouraged and supported with opportunities to progress my career to where I am today as a senior leader of the College responsible for Organisational Development and Wellbeing. I am proud to be part of this special organisation, evidenced by dedicating such a significant proportion of my working life here.?

My privilege is to strategically lead on the empowerment and experience of our People. I do so in collaboration with other College leaders and colleagues, and together we enable the College to succeed in its mission.? For me and my team, the focus is on initiatives and approaches to build a positive culture, through engagement of our ‘One Team’ philosophy across our two campuses at Cauldon and Burslem.? Our work includes opportunities to celebrate success by rewarding and recognising contributions; enabling staff voice as key stakeholders; promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and investing in opportunities to progress through learning and development. Along with leaders and managers, we take a proactive and joint responsibility for health and wellbeing of individuals and for each other.? People can’t give their best at work if you don’t provide the right environment and employment experience to really thrive personally and professionally.?

As a College we are very clear and transparent in our aims and how we set about achieving these.? Transforming lives and creating successful futures applies to both our learners and to our staff team. That is why, consistent with a positive culture of learning, we give such focus and priority to investing in our people – motivating and enabling ambitions and success through skills, development and reward.? A future focus is equally critical as we carefully plan for our future workforce needs and this includes our determination to be an employer of choice.? We recognise the importance of balancing work and life and how flexibility and new ways of working can have such an impact, to which we strive to achieve. ?

We are tenacious in ensuring our College values, ‘ICcAN’ (Inclusive, Collaborative, Courageous, Ambitious, Nurturing) are understood and integral to how each and every one of us goes about everything we do in College.? Such values do come naturally but we provide the guidance on how to live and promote these everyday and be our best.

Finally, (because this part makes me go quite emotional), I can’t tell you how proud I felt at our recent inaugural College Accolades event which presented front and centre the recognition and appreciation all teams have for one another.? It was such a delight to be a part of honouring the work of our people, the people who make Stoke on Trent College the special place it is.