What is your name, job title and place of work?

Kirsty Taylor, cleaning team member, South Lanarkshire College, East Kilbride

How long have you held your current role, and what other jobs did you have before?

Seven and a half years, since 2013 and previous to this I was a lab technician in a university.

How - and why - did you first start working in further education?

I was looking for a position closer to home and the opportunity arose for the cleaning team and South Lanarkshire College had a good reputation as a local employer.

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Briefly describe what a day at work looks like for you. 

We have routine cleaning schedules which must be adhered to especially in the current climate as it is vital to ensure each area off the building and work and teaching spaces have been cleaned and sanitised effectively to help in the reduction of Covid spread. Each day can be varied with ad hoc requests to prevent Health and safety risks such as spilled liquids or trip hazards. We also play a big part in spot checking our areas for any reactive cleaning requirements. 

What motivates you in your workplace?

I am motivated by conducting my day to day to high standards and working within a team who are integral to the daily function of the college.

Share an anecdote about a student or learner who has inspired you. 

There’s no-one directly but I am impressed by students who join at a later stage in life to learn a new skill or take new career path.

Do you enjoy working in FE? And if so, why?

I enjoy working in the FE environment and in normal circumstances the buzz around the college is enjoyable and your day passes very quickly.

What do you see as the big challenges for the FE sector in the next few years?

I anticipate there to be continued blended learning requirements and I think this will be a challenge for both lecturers and students alike.

What do you think our FE sector will look like in 30 years’ time?

I view education to be a constantly changing environment which will hopefully continue to move alongside student learning needs.

If you were made apprenticeships and skills minister, what is the first thing you’d introduce or change?

Continue to make it achievable for students from all backgrounds to have equal opportunity and access to education to achieve their goals.