She's got an ever expanding job title and has previously worked in the pharmaceutical industry but, today, Mrs Nicky Emmett is under the microscope in this week's 'A Conversation With...". Mrs Emmett is the Headmaster's Executive Assistant and here, we learn more about her time before Shiplake College and what inspired her to work in the education sector and at Shiplake.
What is your role and how long have you been at Shiplake?
I’m in my sixth year at Shiplake having joined as the PA to the Headmaster, which at that time was Mr Gregg Davies. I’ve been lucky enough since then to take on the role as Executive Assistant to the Headmaster and, more recently, have added Head of Administrative Support to what is becoming a very long job title.
What were you doing before Shiplake?
I worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 18 years pretending to look like I knew what I was doing as science really wasn't my strongest point at school. Fortunately, I was not in the seriously scientific part of the sector. I started off as a Medical Representative working with gastrointestinal and cardiovascular products and somehow managed to work my way up to National Marketing Manager for medical nutrition products, before moving in to the medical education sector as a Senior Account Director working with dermatology products. It was an amazing experience working in that sector and I was fortunate to travel the world with my job and got to work with some seriously smart people. I then had my son and took a career break until he started school.
What is a day in the life at Shiplake like for Mrs Emmett?
Never the same day twice… it can be manically busy with ten things happening simultaneously all with the same priority level. I consider myself to be part juggler and part telepathic which I need to be in order to keep on top of everything that goes on at the College!
What inspired you to work in the education sector, and why Shiplake College in particular?
Up until six years ago, my only real experience of the education sector was my time at school in Aberdeen in the 1970s and 80s so it’s fair to say my perception was pretty outdated. But having worked in medical education, I had loosely been involved in education albeit to a different sector and loved seeing the way that behaviours can change positively through the right coaching, knowledge and evidence.
My inspiration to apply for the PA job at Shiplake was simply because I had driven past the school many times on my way to mother-care during maternity leave and had wondered what was behind the stunning façade. So when the role came up, I thought I would apply without thinking for a second that I would have any chance of getting the job.
What do you do away from work?
Mostly act as a PA and chauffeur to my nine-year-old. When I’m off duty from that, I practice karate and love swimming, running, reading and finding interesting places around the south east to walk. I also seem to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to stem the tide of mud that seems to arrive in my house daily from said nine-year-old and Holly, the Head’s PA(W).
What does the future hold for Mrs Emmett?
I would love to travel the world a bit more. I’m mentally building a file of places I want to see and experience so I would love to think that extensive travel will form a large part of my future. But in the immediate future, I want to continue being as happy as I am in my job and trying to get to the next belt in karate!
