Jane Devlin

I believe we are all capable of learning and changing – whatever stage in your life or career you may be.

I have changed direction a number of times over the years, with no regrets, as each stage has taught me something new. After heading to Hull University to study French and Spanish, I dropped out and went to Madrid and tried Teaching English as a Foreign Language – my first attempt to get in to the classroom. On return, I moved to London and started work in hotels. Nice 4 star hotels in great locations. Several moves, 4 years and some not so nice hotels later found me working in Customer Services for Ashworth Golf Clothing. I became the Customer Services manager for UK and Europe, with a small dedicated team. I saw some great golf, met some talented people and had some great clothes. A move to managing the Sales and Production Planning office for a vacuum forming company gave me my first taste of a manufacturing environment. Another relocation, to Suffolk this time, where I still live, and I stumbled a little when trying to find my career feet – some office work, pub management and then I found Learning and Development. First at Eastern Electricity, then Churchill Insurance. I became a qualified coach, an MBTI practitioner and completed the CIPD Training certificate. This is when my formal learning accelerated and my love of learning became a conscious choice. In 2004 I chose to go to Henley for a full time Executive MBA – trips to the US, China, Australia and South Africa really broadened my thinking to the point where I realised I wanted to start my own business. So I bought a pub. A fascinating exercise in building and managing a business. But a difficult trade at a difficult time. I learnt a lot. And moved on. Back in to Learning and Development, first as an employee at Hemsley Fraser and then finally as an associate and freelance Learning and development Consultant from 2009.

Since then I have continued to learn formally and informally. I am a qualified practitioner for the Emotional Capital Report 360 degree psychometric, I have a post-grad diploma in Coaching Psychology and finished my MSc in Business Psychology in August 2022. I read and review and reflect and learn and - hopefully - get better at what I do.