Lois’ Story

Course Studied: Level 3 Team Leader Supervisor Apprenticeship  

Employer: Falmouth Exeter Plus

Role: Security Duty Manager

My Story:  

When Lois started her apprenticeship back in March 2020, she was employed at FX Plus as a Customer Service Supervisor. Since then, Lois has become an integral part of the Security Team and has been promoted twice since being on programme.   

“I have learnt so much about myself, about others, about strategies and techniques not only for work but for everyday life that I feel I will use forever.”  

Lois moved to the role of Security Supervisor at the University in 2021 and was shortly promoted to be the Security Duty Manager.  

“When taking over as the Security Duty Manager I did feel that the team was deflated, had a bad perception of management, I have been able to completely turn this around using the skills I have learnt.”   

Lois successfully launched a mobile phone safety app called ‘SafeZone’ and continues to actively promote and manage the initiative across both campuses. This has vastly improved response times to emergency calls, calls for first aid and non-emergency assistance, and contact to campus services. As a result, the app has opened communication specifically with the University of Exeter Security Team but also, impressively created networking opportunities with 40% of university security teams across Britain. 

In such a male-dominated environment, Lois has had to prove herself to others and has managed to change the views of those who had their own preconceived ideas of women in Security, forming a tight knit team who respect her greatly. 

“Being a woman in a very male dominated job role can be a challenge at times. I feel that I must work harder to be taken seriously within my role. I have had meetings where I am disregarded as the Security Lead because they assume my male colleague is, but with the support I have been given I feel comfortable enough to address these issues and to establish myself within my role. It just drives me further to be the best that I can be.”  

Lois identifies one of her career highlights as being recognised by the University on International Women’s Day 2022.  

At the 2022 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards, Lois made history by being the first-ever triple-award winner, scooping the Management Apprentice of the Year, Achiever of the Year and the coveted Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year awards. 

Lois’ manager, Dan, is full of praise for everything she has achieved, saying “Lois is a staff member every team truly needs. She is always positive and finds the good in every situation and with the skills Lois has developed thanks to Truro and Penwith College, I have a duty manager to be proud of.”