Employee Focus: Nichola Bury Davies - Celebrating 10 Years of The Skills Network

This month, we’re celebrating 10 years of The Skills Network (TSN).

As we celebrate just how much we have grown over the last decade, there is one thing, more than anything, that is clear for all to see.

It is that our people – our amazing, dedicated, creative staff – have been the cornerstone for all our advancement.

Today, we look at the story of Nichola Bury Davies, TSN’s Head of Enrolment Processing, who has been with us since the very early days of September 2009, and with now just short of 10 years’ long service.

Nichola’s Story

The Early Days

“When I first joined TSN in September 2009, one of the first things that stood out was the passion and commitment from the team. At the heart of the company was the learner and the importance of getting the quality right – something that has carried on throughout my time here.

In the first four years of joining the team, there were lots of changes to accommodate the updates to funding and allocation and the passion and planning for the future from owners Mick and Eliot, who ensured that we were always one step ahead of the changes to keep us moving forward. Developing our own in-house learning resources and the introduction of ‘EQUAL’, our online learning platform, were two of the big developments/investments in the business that have allowed us to keep on growing.

From my memories of the very early days, one of the most significant milestones was our very first External Verifier visit from the Awarding Body. As a new provider, this was crucial to confirming that we were doing a great job. It also gave the colleges we were working with at the time, and those we would go on to work with, an assurance that although we were small, we were mighty!

Today, the EV visits are taken as ‘business as usual’. But the pressure we all felt for that first visit instilled in me the importance of the quality of the learner journey that we have now gone on to deliver to all our learners since.”

Working at TSN Over the Years

“What I enjoy about working at TSN (and the reason I’m still here after all this time) is the pace and changes – we’re always looking and moving forward – I can honestly say that, for me, the last nine and a half years have flown by. No year has ever been the same, so you never feel like you’re stuck in the same job. The open-door policy with the Exec Team and directors means that we always have a voice.

And lastly – it’s the people – when we get lost in the day-to-day tasks, it’s sometimes easy to take it for granted. But, I truly believe that we have some fantastic people working here and we all pull together when needed to support each other.”

My Role

“All of my roles here have been very much hands-on. My first couple of months involved filing, scanning, learner support, Tutor liaison, quality assurance, and college liaison. The foundations I built in those first couple of years placed me as one of the key employees in ensuring that our Quality and College Liaison functions ran smoothly.

Today, I head up our Information Services Team to ensure that all of our sub-contracted enrolments are processed and with college partners for payment, as well as overseeing the data reconciliation between all college partners.

Quality Assurance and Information Services has been one of my main roles at TSN, setting up the processes and teams and working closely with Delivery. Those that have had the pleasure of working with or for me will know that I have very high standards when it comes to getting the job done right!”

Read more on just how far The Skills Network has come by clicking here.