Becoming a trainer - Being given the chance to ‘have a go’.

Over 25 years ago I convinced my store manager (at B&Q) that I should run an interior design workshop for our customers. The TV show ‘Changing Rooms’ was massive at the time and paint effects had taken off in a big way with everyone rag-rolling every wall and crackle glazing anything not nailed down!

Our café closed at 18.00 so from 18.30 – 20.30 it became my first unofficial training room! (I didn’t really know I was training back then; I just knew I had some knowledge about something people might be interested in and wanted to share it.)

We had a blast! For 8 weeks, customers turned up to find wallpaper pasting tables full of paints, sponges, rags, the occasional plant pot and broken tiles etc and proceeded to ‘have a go’. 

At the end of our 8 weeks, we had a little celebration and I handed out my rather basic certificates (No Canva back then!!) and that’s when I took these photos. (I ran numerous groups over several years)

This blast from the past reminds me that most people create a career from those moments when they’ve been able to ‘have a go’ and see if it works for them. But it takes an open-minded manager, and/or company to allow/encourage it and see where it leads.

For me, this led to me getting more involved in formal training and I’m so glad it did because here I am now, running my own training company and enabling others to ‘have a go!’

What did you 'have a go' at that turned into so much more?

#curiouslighthouse
#haveago
#trainthetrainer
#learninganddevelopment