Posted:17-May-2023
Pitman’s franchise partner on the front line of delivering education excellence for 21 years
Going into her fifth term as a franchise partner with Pitman Training, Paula Elliott has certainly proved she has what it takes to make it in the world of franchising.
A former member of Her Majesty’s Forces, Paula’s previous role as a Special Intelligence Operator instilled an unrivalled work ethic, attention to detail and ability to communicate with people from all walks of life – making her the ideal franchise partner. Equipped with this incredible skill set and the support of the Pitman head office team, Paula has helped administrators, executives and business professionals alike achieve their career goals for the past 21 years.
“Leaving the army meant I had all the attributes I needed to become a great franchise partner. However, when I first stepped into the world of work, I wanted some additional qualifications on paper to get a great job. I decided to upskill myself by taking a HR course where I learnt skills like touch typing, making spreadsheets and word processing. This course, married with my skills from the army, helped me land a role with a recruitment company where I was tasked with helping people find training courses and employment,” said Paula.
“I loved being able to help people find work. So, when my employer at the time decided he was going to sell his Pitman business, I was incredibly interested. I had the choice to carry on in recruitment or to take a chance and start a business venture with Pitman. I chose Pitman, and I’ve not looked back since.”
When joining Pitman, you become part of a proven business model with 185 years of heritage. Consistently recognised as one of the UK’s business super brands, Pitman allows its franchise partners to deliver training via a market-leading combination of audio, workbooks and live software.
“Becoming a franchise partner with Pitman was brilliant and made my life so much easier than if I had started a training business on my own. When running a training business, you need to get students into the centre to succeed. Having the backing of a big brand like Pitman goes a long way in helping to achieve this. Ever since I joined Pitman, I have been provided with all the marketing tools and information required to run a business from the get-go has been vital to my success.”
Pitman Training is the country’s leading independent training provider, offering world-class office and IT skills in modern training centres to thousands of students across the UK and around the world. As a management franchise, franchise partners don’t need any teaching experience as you recruit a team to support the delivery of self-paced vocational courses, making a real difference to people’s lives in your local area.
“As a franchise partner, I’m committed to practising what I preach to my students. I frequently undergo Pitman’s training courses to upskill myself and ensure I stay up to speed with the ever-evolving workplace. I firmly believe that the best money you can spend is on developing yourself. Not only can it help you find a new job or gain a promotion, but it can also do wonders for your confidence. We mould packages around what someone needs to land their dream job. This is why I’m so passionate about what I do.”
As well as continually investing in delivering exceptional courses and using the latest technological advances, Pitman offers franchise partners excellent training and ongoing support.
“As a network, we meet on Teams regularly to discuss what’s coming up, and the head office team make sure to visit us to check in on how we are doing. Every year we also have an excellent conference where we listen to motivational speakers, learn new things and see everyone in person. All of this really does make you feel valued.
“I’m also afforded a great work-life balance as a franchise partner with Pitman. For me, it’s the little things that count. For example, I can take my kids to school every day before opening the centre, and I have the flexibility to hop in and out of work when I need to. I can be there for my family far more than if I were working for someone else.
“Looking to the future, I want to ensure my business is in a place where it will remain successful even after I move on. I work very hard networking within my community to establish Pitman as the go-to training provider in Dover.”
Pitman Training has a 185-year heritage, making us the leading British training provider since 1837. With over 80 local training centres in the UK, Ireland and internationally, we understand how to help franchise partners best run and market their locations.
Interested and want to know more about Pitman Training?
The Pitman Training profile outlines all aspects of their franchise opportunity and allows you to contact them for further information or to ask a question.