Last updated at 09:20, Thursday, 22 April 2010

Kimberley Elliott

EDUCATION and skills feature heavily in the Britain’s Energy Coast™ agenda which pledges to deliver training and expertise that will shape tomorrow’s West Cumbrian workforce into a world class outfit.

One woman, who is not only taking advantage of those world class training and skills but involved in helping to develop the future of the projects, is project administrator for Britain’s Energy Coast West Cumbria, Kimberley Elliott.

The 22-year-old has worked with the Westlakes Science Park-based team since August 2005. In fact, it has been Kimberley’s only job since leaving sixth form.

Now an undergraduate with the University of Cumbria, Kimberley has played an important role in some of the energy coast’s major projects. Starting out as a trainee administration assistant, she has benefitted enormously from the educational opportunities on offer.

From an NVQ level 2 in business administration, which Kimberley completed in 2006, on to a level 3 course – which she also successfully passed – she has gained unprecedented knowledge and experience in project work. July 2006 saw Kimberley, of Whitehaven, employed as a fully-qualified project administration assistant with the energy coast team.

She said: “I have been involved with a lot of big projects in the area including Energus at Lillyhall, the Port of Workington, Whitehaven’s Beacon and the University of Central Lancashire campus here on the Science Park.

“The training and support I have received throughout my career has seen me undertaking basic administration tasks when I first started, to project monitoring for some of the major Energy Coast projects.”

Kimberley, who is the youngest member of Britain’s Energy Coast West Cumbria, also added a diploma in business management to her collection of qualifications and three years ago became a project administrator.

She said: “I am assigned to certain projects which involve everything from the claims process to carrying out monitoring visits.
“Whitehaven’s Albion Square project is one that I’m looking after at the moment.”

Kimberley’s career became more demanding in 2008 when she started a business management degree with the University of Cumbria – one that she studies at Energus, a hailed Energy Coast project.

Although a challenging task to fit in a degree with a full-time job, Kimberley said she has gained a better understanding to various aspects of her job.

She said: “The HR aspect and project management background to the degree has proved to be pretty useful for me.

“But studying a degree means much more to me – it’s a personal and professional development.

“I feel very lucky at my age to be here when all these new educational opportunities are developing in West Cumbria. It’s allowing people like me, who are in full-time employment, to continue studying and training without having to move outside the area to access first class higher and further education.

“It’s an exciting time for West Cumbria and I’m extremely proud I’m contributing to the future of the area.”

Kimberley, who got engaged in New York over Christmas, said watching projects develop over the last few years and knowing what projects are yet to come has opened her eyes to a new West Cumbria.

“The Energy Coast is offering people, of all ages, the opportunity to stay in West Cumbria,” she said. “It is and will be a brilliant place to be and I’m proud to be working on projects that will be here for generations to come.

“Seeing the end result is the favourite part of my job - I witness it regularly when I visit the Energus facility. There are a lot more young people choosing to stay and study locally because they can do so now.”

First published at 09:17, Thursday, 22 April 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk