I am the Training Officer and work within the Personnel Office, which is a branch of the Privy Purse & Treasurer's Office. I am based at Buckingham Palace three days per week and at Windsor Castle two days per week. I have worked for the Royal Household for six years.

How did you get your job with the Royal Household?
My initial job was as Property Section Administrator based at Windsor Castle, which I got through a local recruitment agency. After two years working in the Property Office I was given the opportunity to undertake a three-month secondment as Training Co-ordinator within the Personnel Office. I enjoyed my secondment so much that I applied for a permanent position and I have never looked back since.

What did you do before joining the Royal Household?
I started my career as a hotel receptionist, but after a few years I decided I needed a change and worked for Yellow Pages as a Training Administrator. It was here that I became passionate about learning and development.  I then went on to work for a local training company based in Windsor, where I developed my skills and knowledge further.

What experience and qualifications do you need to work within the learning and development arena?
A certificate or diploma in training practice, coupled with practical experience, would be ideal. However, most people starting out may not necessarily have both. My advice would be to get some work experience under your belt. Most organisations offer work experience placements to school leavers and students. Not only is this a great opportunity to work with established professionals who are happy to share their experience and knowledge, but it will also improve your chances of landing your first job.

Prospective employers are keen to employ people who have some level of practical experience, and will often support employees in pursing academic qualifications. There is also a great deal of literature, such as the Training Journal monthly magazine, which highlights new developments and initiatives within the training and development arena.  Attending trade shows is also a good way of networking and keeping your professional knowledge up to date.

Describe a typical day.
In my role as Training Officer, my key responsibility is to identify and deliver training and development solutions in order to meet organisational, departmental and individual goals. When I am training, I tend to get in early, have a cup of tea, and do some relaxation exercises. Then I go to the training venue to set things up, and to be ready to meet and greet my participants. I then spend the day with them, delivering one of many courses available to employees.

When I am not training, I normally have two or three meetings throughout the day, which can include meeting with potential training providers, helping a member of staff to develop a personal development plan, or meeting a manager to discuss training solutions for their teams.

One of my main responsibilities is to evaluate all the training and development that takes place, which involves liaising with participants to establish how their learning has impacted on their performance and development. This is also a good time to evaluate my training materials and make any necessary updates, resource materials for the training resource library and organise special staff initiatives days, such as Back Care Awareness Day and Learning at Work Day.

What training and support are available to you?
A great deal. I recently passed my NVQ Level 4 in Learning & Development, which was financially supported by The Royal Household. I also have access to the household training programme, which offers training and development in areas such as personal development, management and leadership, policy and processes, and (my favourite) lifestyle and well-being.

My section also has an individual training budget, which means I can attend external training courses specific to my role, subscribe to trade magazines and attend seminars which all contribute to my development. A number of my colleagues within Personnel have also been sponsored to complete Master's degrees in Personnel and Development which are accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and I hope to complete the CIPD Training Practice qualification within the next 18 months.

What's it like working for the Royal Household?
If I had to sum it up in one word I would say ... extraordinary! I still have to pinch myself sometimes when Changing of the Guard is happening outside my office window. Most importantly, though, as employees we are supported very well in terms of training and development opportunities, staff initiatives, welfare and benefits. Those are marketable qualities that not all organisations offer, and so it is rewarding to be appreciated in this way.

What is the best thing about your job?
The first is most definitely working with people. It is very rewarding to be able to inspire and encourage others to develop and grow both personally and professionally. The second best thing is co-ordinating our organisation-wide learning days, such as Learning at Work Day, where the whole organisation gets together to share their skills and knowledge with each other. 

Last year's theme was health and wellbeing. We arranged a variety of activities for all staff to enjoy, including aromatherapy massage, painting for relaxation, making sushi at home, and much more. Learning at Work Day is co-ordintaed by staff for staff, and it's a great opportunity for everyone to get together, learn something new and have fun while we are at it.

What opportunities do you get that you would not get elsewhere?
The highlight for me must be meeting The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at Christmas when they present you with a Christmas gift. That is rather special, if a little surreal. Also, attending the staff Christmas Ball, which is held at either Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. We are literally treated like Royalty, from the gold card invitation, to the champagne on arrival, to the delicious three-course meal, all finished off with wonderful entertainment.  It's real fairytale stuff.