Faces of FuturU is a story series about our incredible team. We explore their motivations for joining, delve into the experiences they bring with them and understand a little more about what brings them joy at work.
Heather McWilliams is Education Coordinator at FuturU, where she supports the teams managing Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) and End-Point Assessments (EPAs).
Can you tell us more about your role?
I work as part of the education division at FuturU. I help out with admin tasks for the Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) and End-Point Assessment (EPAs) teams, who are responsible for supporting health and social apprentices through their assessment journey. I also support the learning innovation team, who manage all of our course content for learners and the platform they use to access it.
What initially attracted you to FuturU?
I think what initially attracted me to FuturU was the mission statement of providing universal access to free healthcare education. I previously worked at a higher education learning provider, and a lot of the learners had to pay for nursing courses just to attend university. They were paying thousands of pounds for nursing, medicine, and healthcare courses just to get into the healthcare sector. I was shocked about the people on payment plans, who were putting themselves in debt so that they could go and help people.
I wanted to work for a company who were working towards something good, with good morals and good values – and that’s what FuturU represents.
Is there anything in particular that excites you about the future of FuturU?
Definitely, it seems like a limitless opportunity here. The leadership team has really ambitious plans for FuturU to move into the higher education space further down the line, which I’m excited about. We’ve already supported lots of people and have tons of happy learners, but I love that we’re constantly pushing to do more, to help more. That’s the most exciting thing.
What brings you joy at work?
So far, it’s been how kind everyone is and the great culture. I’ve worked in so many places, like retail and services, and I’ve never quite experienced a culture like I have here. Just coming into work and chatting to someone, no one is overly stressed or doesn’t have time for you. It’s a really positive culture and people are happy to be here and that’s what brings me joy.
What has been a significant learning curve for you?
I have learnt the importance of a good team and how much they can impact your experience. If you’re not having a great day, having that support network to fall back on and pick you back up is so important. I’ve worked in places where that wasn’t the case, so I’m lucky to have such a phenomenal team at FuturU.
