Relevant work experience
eLearning Developer – Inmarsat (London: September 2011 – Present)
I am currently responsible for Inmarsat’s eLearning strategy and managing all online learning, which is delivered worldwide to Inmarsat’s large employee and customer base via an online LMS (Nebula – learn.inmarsat.com).
Key responsibilities:
• Development, delivery and management of all online and mobile learning content for a global audience
• Management of resources, including in-house and outsourced instructional designers
• Implementation and day-to-day management of a learning management system (LMS) accessed by over 1000 business partners and over 750 employees worldwide
• Management of an annual learning budget of over £100k
Key achievements:
• Successful implementation of a new Learning Management System which currently hosts over 60 courses and over 100 additional resources
• Successfully doubling the number of learners being trained within 12 months of launch.
• Created over 100 hours of online learning delivered to over 1500 learners worldwide
• Reduced the requirement for multiple face-to-face training courses through replacement with online learning modules, reducing business costs by over £15,000 within the first 12 months
eLearning Blogger – Litmos LMS (Remote work from London: March 2012 – Present)
I am currently writing regular articles for an industry leading Learning Management System provider (www.litmos.com), based on my daily experiences designing eLearning, managing content development projects and working within the rapid authoring industry.
• What type of Learning Management System is the best for your company?
• Start with Why: How we often miss this step when designing eLearning
• 5 essential skills you need to create online learning
Training Manager – Webfusion (Uxbridge: October 2010 – August 2011)
I was recruited to set up a new training department within this rapidly expanding web hosting and Internet services company. This cutting-edge business had a couple of classroom trainers with few training materials; and no evidence that current training was effective. My main focus was to introduce a blended learning solution including a learning management system with new training content that would provide the basis of training for the future.
Key responsibilities:
• Design and delivery of eLearning management system, to provide a central location for all training across the business
• Restructuring of in the internal training process, to ensure all aspects of the training cycle were being followed (needs analysis > design > delivery > evaluation)
• Recruitment and day-to-day management of a team of Training Coordinators and Trainers to run the day-to-day training requirements of the business
• Design and delivery of key training modules
• Negotiation and recruitment of external training services, from Apprenticeships to Executive training
Key achievements:
• Successful implementation of a new eLearning management platform, including new training content and to empower managers and team leaders to take an active role in developing their employees technical and product skills
• Complete overhaul of training structure within the business, giving heightened internal visibility to the training and demonstrating effectiveness of training based on a positive ROI
• Organised and delivered training to a new, remote team of technical support staff in Europe, where a new office was opened; and effectively trained the team to begin supporting the business within the agreed timeframes
Senior Instructional Designer – Carnival UK and Microsoft (Birmingham: March 2010 – October 2010)
I worked in a consultative capacity on several short-term projects with some major clients, including Carnival UK and Microsoft. This gave me the opportunity to work alongside a diverse range of clients and students, broaden my skills as a training manager and improve my ability to design and introduce new training programs in a variety of environments.
Key responsibilities:
• Delivery of technical, sales and business training for both specialist trainers and industry professionals, through both classroom and eLearning training methods
• Development, implementation and management of new training programs in a variety of environments
• Restructure what were predominantly training teams, into a sales focused operation, to deliver new customers and build upon existing clients
• Overhaul of existing training programs in order to uphold market position during company reorganisation and increase number of new customers within market segment
• Design and production of high quality training material including a range of tutorial handbooks, tutorial ‘train the trainer’ training videos and workshop presentations
Key achievements:
• Managed several projects and training teams globally, on time and to budget
• Developed key skills and gained valuable experience in the development and introduction of new education programs and the regeneration of existing training modules in a variety of market sectors
• Provided extensive training workshops, to enable delegates to make informed decisions on new subjects and technologies, which in turn increased sales revenue and profitability
• Working with premium brands such as Microsoft, I have developed unparalleled skills and am able to create unique solutions for a wide range of complex situations
• Identified a market need for new products which realised significant new sales and created exciting opportunities for new revenue channels
• Provided an innovative approach to each piece of learning delivered, as well as the ability to make the complex seem straight forward
Training Manager – P&O Cruises (Carnival Group) / Big Picture
(Brook Green, London: March 2008 – March 2010)
Big Picture is a rapidly expanding business that organises and hosts technology-based workshops on board several fleets of cruise ships, currently training over 150,000 passengers per year. Having previously worked for the business as Lead Trainer, I was invited back to work as Training Manager.
Key responsibilities:
• Initial testing, analysis, development and management of a new range of commercially viable technology based workshops, presentations and product demonstrations targeting paying customers, to facilitate roll-out across the business
• Management of project operations, an expanding team of trainers, sales performance and marketing.
• Business development of an innovative commercial start-up, whose progress will provide the potential for expansion and future business opportunities
• Design and production of high quality training material including a range of tutorial handbooks, tutorial ‘train the trainer’ training videos and workshop presentations
• Communicating with and reporting to the board of directors at P&O Cruises and Big Picture, with progress reports, development proposals and sales forecasts
Key achievements:
• Under my management, the business was awarded several long-term contracts to expand from one ship to several different fleets of cruise ships
• Successful development and management of a thriving, cash-positive revenue centre
• Implementation of new retail channels, including tutorial DVDs and detailed workshop handbooks, thus increasing revenue and generating potential for business development in new markets
• Effective implementation of a new training program, including the design and production of a series of ‘train the trainer’ tutorial videos, which improved the quality of training across the business
• Successful management of a rapidly expanding team of technology trainers and experience of working alongside board level directors, operational managers and a diverse international crew consisting of over 10,000 workers
Lead Trainer – P&O Cruises (Carnival Group) / Big Picture
(Various International Contracts: Aug 2004 – June 2006)
I was recruited to work as the Lead Trainer onboard Britain’s largest cruise liner, teaching a range of technology based subjects to a variety of students with differing abilities. This provided the opportunity to develop my teaching skills and develop an understanding of training, demonstration and sales techniques.
Key responsibilities:
• Preparation and delivery of an intense schedule of technology based training sessions, to both individuals, classes of up to 30 and presentations of up to 100 people, with significantly diverse demographics
• Sole responsibility for promoting and selling places on the technology-based workshops and demonstrating and selling a wide range of technology based products and collateral training material
Key achievements:
• Successfully teaching a wide range of subjects to over 10,000 students.
• Repeatedly breaking revenue targets, including £25K during a 2 week cruise.
• Continually surpassing sales targets, holding several company records for sales, including selling a notebook computer to 2% of all passengers within a 2 week cruise (27 computers).
Other work experience
Business Development Manager – Assuring Business Ltd. (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: June 2006 – March 2008)
Assuring Business is an innovative start-up business based in Asia. I was recruited to build and manage an e-commerce web portal aimed at selling products globally. I successfully managed several outsourced projects and oversaw their integration into the business model, including the design and development of a web portal and the implementation of effective strategic online and offline marketing campaigns.
Venturer, Raleigh International Expedition (Namibia, Africa: June – September 1998)
Before starting my university degree, I was selected to participate in a voluntary expedition to Namibia, Africa. At a crucial stage in my personal development, the expedition allowed me to push myself to the limits, both physically and mentally, and provided me with a fresh approach to the working environment.
Educational Record
Sep 1998 – July 2002: 2:1 BA (Hons) Product Design, Bournemouth University, UK
Interests
Outdoor sports – To raise money for my Raleigh International Expedition, I completed the Normandy Marathon in France. I am also a keen trail runner and have climbed Mount Kinabalu (highest mountain in South East Asia), Half Dome (Yosemite National Park – America) and Sossusvlei (highest sand dune in the world – Namibia).
Skills
Advanced level (user and trainer): Articulate Studio and Articulate Storyline, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, TechSmith Camtasia Studio, Adobe Captivate, a wide range of LMS platforms and other rapid authoring tools, MS Office, Word, Excel, Apple Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio, and other standard office software.
Experience in: Microsoft LiveMeeting, Access, Publisher, Adobe Premier Pro, Dreamweaver, Autodesk AliasStudio, NX Unigraphics, ProEngineer, web applications including SEO, web analytics and FTP usage.
