Meet the Staff: Louise O’Connor
Join us as we meet Louise, our Business Development Advisor! You might have met her at careers events or networking sessions before – in this article she shares more about what it is that she enjoys about her role.
What is your role at HBTC?
I engage with employers and give them advice on everything to do with Apprenticeships, from recruitment to funding and incentives. I work as part of the recruitment team and we are constantly working on apprenticeship vacancies for local business to find them great talent. We get very excited when we find the ideal person for a role that they love.
I also help employers develop their staff through apprenticeships and further learning – such as Team Leading / Management training.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love matching a young person with a great opportunity and seeing how it impacts a young person’s life. It’s also really rewarding to hear from the businesses we work with too and hear what a difference their apprentice has made to their business, often after just a short time. Employers often report how challenging recruitment can be for them, so when we meet their needs with recruiting a great Apprentice, it’s very satisfying. I love dealing with people and we have some really lovely apprentices and employers, which makes my job very enjoyable!
What is your favourite quote?
This one is tough for me, too many to choose just one. I’m a sucker for a good motivational quote. One I always tell my little boy is a quote from Tony Robbins – “Don’t let disappointment defeat you, let it drive you”
Another quote I love is “Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most. “ The Buddha.
Your favourite book and why?
One of my all time favourite books is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I don’t often read a book more than once but I have read this 3 times over the years. The author is Brazilian and it has been translated into many languages as the message is universal; it’s about listening to your heart and following your dreams.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I’m really into yoga and have set up my own yoga space at home. Although in the summer I usually practice it in the garden, probably much to amusement of my neighbours. I have also taken it a step further and I’m studying to become a yoga instructor so I can teach what I’m passionate about. I also love to read and usually have a couple of books on the go, I like to get transported to another world and read about different cultures. I’ve just finished An Italian Girl in Brooklyn by Sante Montefoire, set in Italy in the second world war, which was a really interesting and eye opening read.
If you’d like to contact Louise to discuss apprenticeships you can contact her by email or phone.
