The employability sector is a great place to work, and we’re pleased to bring these inspirational stories to our members and the wider sector to shout about the great work employability professionals do day in and day out. This collection of inspiring stories charts employability professionals’ remarkable achievements and learning journeys since the inception of the IEP in 2012.
Here is an inspiring Yearbook entry from…
Roksana Anning MIEP, Founder and Director at Apex Mindset Ltd
What were you doing 12 years ago?
I had just begun a secondment as a Learning and Development Trainer within Shaw Trust. Prior to that I spent three years working in various roles, first as an Employment Advisor and Trainer before moving on to be Senior EA and Volunteer Coordinator. As a L&D trainer I was responsible for the design, delivery, facilitation and evaluation of a range of bespoke learning and development solutions supporting the delivery of the business’ needs and objectives. I enjoyed the role of Trainer immensely as I love learning and facilitating learning in others. I’ve always been fascinated by human potential, behaviour and motivation, learning more about how we as people are all unique and how we behave and communicate differently. All these and more learning experiences led me to where I am today.
What are you doing now?
In 2019, I took a leap of faith and started my own business, so I now run my own learning and development company, Apex Mindset Ltd. It was just before Covid hit, so the beginning was a bit turbulent, but I am glad to say that Apex Mindset is going from strength to strength. The employability sector is very close to my heart, so I continue working within the sector, delivering coaching and training to the staff of major providers as well as councils, small companies and individuals too. I like contributing and sharing knowledge where I can, so I run free webinars and publish short videos giving tips within the motivational interviewing approach to help advisors overcome challenges such as lack of engagement, motivation or confidence and resistance to change from their clients. I was honoured to be one of the speakers at IEP Basecamp 2023, sharing and demonstrating how the motivational interviewing approach can help build trust, ignite motivation and encourage hope in participants. Although I work extensively within the employability sector, I also operate in other sectors, delivering not only motivational interviewing and managing change, but also in areas including personality profiling, growth mindset, emotional intelligence, coaching skills and leadership development programmes. The overarching theme running through all the various training programmes I offer, is the importance and facilitation of effective communication and the understanding of others to help each other fulfil our full potential. Apex Mindset’s aim is to empower people and ignite their success and this is something I am very passionate about.
What have you learned along the way?
The list is long, but I’d like to share the two main lessons from my journey that keep coming to the fore. I try to surround myself with people who fill me up rather than drain me. Since starting my business I have had many moments of doubt, I’ve questioned myself and been my own worst critic. I’ve learned how to run a business from scratch, making many mistakes and I’m sure I will make many more. But the passion and belief in what I do always helps me push through those moments of doubt, and I’ve learned that having a strong support network is crucial. Having positive people around me who I can bounce ideas off without fear of judgement, who mentor and challenge me to keep growing, yet believe in what I’m trying to achieve, or sometimes just cheer me on when I need it most. These relationships are invaluable, and they help me build my resilience and keep me motivated. I’ve also learned that change is often unforeseen but is inevitable and navigating that can often require taking a risk or making sacrifices. Sometimes saying yes to an opportunity, even if it feels scary and overwhelming, can lead to other amazing opportunities, and even if things don’t work out in the way you may have envisioned can provide you with precious lessons that will help you avoid making the same mistakes in the future, building the resilience and confidence to adapt to new challenges and keep moving forward.
