We are Valkyrie Training

I am Andrew, the co-founder of High Ridge Training Group Ltd. High Ridge was born as we looked to replicate, extend and share best practice based on the success of Reach4Skills Training Ltd which I founded in 2014, as my introduction into apprenticeship training and adult education.

After identifying a gap in the market due to a shortage of high quality and reliable training providers in 2014, Reach4Skills quickly became a leader within the nursery and childcare training space.

In recent years, we organically and via acquisition of specialist and industry specific training providers added further sectors and qualifications to our offering. We delighted to be able share best practice, management and admin/operation resources to support our growing team of fantastic tutors and program leads.

I am extremely proud of the fantastic team, who continue to deliver to the highest standard, driving positive outcomes for our learners and employers. It’s fantastic to see their work making such a difference to so many people.

I may not remember every grammar rule or algebra equation from my English and Maths teachers, but I can remember the difference they made on my education and the positive impact they continue to have on me throughout my life. That was the reason I wanted to work in education!

After 8 years working in the travel and tourism industry abroad and studying HR, I found my enthusiasm in leading and developing people.

I qualified as a trainer in 2013 and started my training career working in a school that specialised in educating students with social, emotional, and mental health needs.

I joined Andrew at Reach4Skills in 2017 after several years delivering business qualifications in further education. We grew our first business together to become an approved, government funded, apprenticeship and adult skills provider and pride ourselves on the importance of delivering a training experience that is tailored to the individual needs of the learner. We’ve recently created the High Ridge Training Group, a group consisting of specialist training providers who combine and share good practice.

During this time, I’m proud to say I led Reach4Skills Training through our first and full Ofsted inspection receiving ‘Good’ in all areas and more recently Cedars Training Academy in their first monitoring visit. I have always insisted on having the highest expectations of myself, my team, and our learners and without them those achievements would not be possible.

I love my work and when I’m not working, I can be found walking a lot more, after successfully climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in January 2022. I also enjoy spending time with my husband and friends and visiting my favourite holiday destination, the Greek Islands.

Prior to joining the High Ridge team in 2017, my career background was predominantly within Senior Management roles across the Early Years sector. Supporting individuals with training and development opportunities, has always been one of my leading passions, and it was this motivation that inspired the change of career direction into Further Education.

On a personal level, I enjoy spending quality time with my family. We share a love for adventures and travel, anything from activity camping in the UK to swimming in the Caribbean Sea.

I’ve been working in the education sector since 2015 and have experience teaching maths and English from entry levels up to GCSE. I understand the challenges young people face when learning maths and English and find joy in helping them achieve in the two subjects. I have experience leading maths and English teams and strive to develop maths and English into accessible and enjoyable qualifications for all.

Away from work, I enjoy spending time with my family, going to the gym and keeping up with old pals while gaming online. I’m also a big foodie and am always up for trying new foods!

Prior to joining High Ridge I have worked for various training providers as a Tutor/Assessor for the past 13 years. Prior to that I worked in Day Nurseries developing from an Apprentice onto the Leadership team.

My love and passion for Education is deep rooted, alongside my passion for supporting individuals to develop and grow in their chosen employment route. I feel very lucky that I can blend these two passions together, by helping to develop competent staff to work within the roles.

When I’m not working I enjoy spending time with my family, friends and 2 children.

Having worked within the Education sector since 2009 within Health and Safety and Coaching and Mentoring roles, when coming across the opportunity to work at Valkyrie Training, I couldn’t say no. This job role has combined all the area’s that I so passionate about to support and inspire others. Since joining in 2021 I have found that all the team are approachable and very supportive to one another with a pro-active working atmosphere and having the Learners and Employers best interest at heart. Having also taking on the role as Faculty Lead for Business, gives me exciting new opportunities ahead and I feel very lucky to be able to work with such a fantastic team.

In my spare time, I live for my family and animals. I can often be found spending time with my horse or taking our dog out for a walk.

I started my career in a Procurement Team guided by lean Six Sigma principles, where I immediately embarked on my CIPS journey.

Over the next few years, I earned my MCIPS certification, which became the foundation of my 24-year career in Procurement and Supply Chain. This achievement opened doors to various senior roles.  My experience spans both direct and indirect roles, primarily within the Defence and Facilities Management (FM) industries with a short-term role within Public Sector.  A significant part of my experience involved managing and mentoring individuals and teams, which eventually led me to teach CIPS for a few years.

Within the last decade, to enhance my teaching capabilities, I invested in training as a Personal Coach and pursued additional various wellness and therapy qualifications.

On a personal level, I enjoy music, socialising, spending time with family and fundamentally embracing life.  I am a strong advocate for self-reflection, growth, and development, believing these practices are essential for maximising life and the opportunities it offers.