Heather Ette FIEP | Head of Marketing, Communications and Brand | IEP
What were you doing 12 years ago?
I was working for an IT company called Empowering Communities that had an ethical purpose, to join-up public services such as the police, social services and supporting agencies to enable them to share information so they can provide multi-agency support to help vulnerable people. It was a purpose that was close to my heart and enabled me to feel I was making a difference. With two young children I felt very lucky to have the freedom to work from home and not have to rely on childcare and I loved being able to speak to people such as police officers and safeguarding specialists who were striving to provide more holistic services that wrapped support around people. It was inspiring to hear their stories and to understand how much time, effort and care those working on the frontline gave to those they were working with.
What are you doing now?
I am the Head of Marketing, Communications and Brand for the IEP. I joined the IEP in 2015 and over the years it’s been exciting to see the organisation grow and expand its offering and its operations to multiple countries overseas and to be part of that. My job offers me the freedom to be creative, is challenging and varied. No two days are the same and there is never a dull moment. I am privileged to work with a wonderful and talented group of people, my fellow IEPers who are a supportive and dedicated team that constantly strive to be the best they can be. I also work with Belina GRoW, an incredible team that specialises in supporting women, especially mothers, in their journey towards education, training, and employment. When I speak to GRoW’s participants I am always blown away by their stories and their gratitude for the support they’ve received from the team. Almost all of them say that it’s their confidence and motivation that they need help with before they can start their journey and that it’s specialist support from people who truly understand and listen that makes the difference. I am grateful to be working in this great sector and with such inspiring organisations and people who work tirelessly to help improve the lives of others.
What have you learned along the way?
That people who work on the frontline have a challenging job, and to be truly effective, one must put the person they are helping at the centre of all interventions. This requires active listening and understanding of their issues, concerns, and challenges, building a relationship based on trust. It takes a special person with empathy, resilience, skills and knowledge to do this work well. The employability sector is an excellent example of people who possess these skills and do this work day in and day out. I was introduced to this sector, and specifically the IEP, by my old friend and mentor, Paul Wolstencroft. He worked with the IEP at its inception and developed our CRM and website. Paul sadly passed away in 2023, but I will always remember him as someone who listened and was kind, calm, funny and so knowledgeable and skilled. He gave me my first job in marketing when I was 18. Paul believed in me, encouraged me, and showed me how to do things when I didn’t know. It was this one-to-one support built on trust that made all the difference in helping me achieve my goals. I’ve achieved so many of them and I have Paul to thank for setting me on this career path and being a constant in my life for over 30 years.
