A day in the life of Clare Perry, Regional Trainer

6am: The alarm goes off  bright sunshine pouring through the window ,  with the promise of lovely warm day ahead. Two pairs of eyes peer round bedroom door and two very happy dogs greet me as if they haven't seen me for a year. They take their places expectantly at end of bed

6:05am: Go to kitchen put kettle on, put Oaty bread in toaster ready to go, set up ironing board, get two Dentastix (for the dogs, not me) .

6:07am: Jump in shower, singing "The Hills are Alive with The Sound of Music", come back via kitchen, push toast down and plug iron in. Iron shirt and trousers, toast pops up, put peanut butter and honey on toast, make tea and put tea bag into bowl with water for doggy tea later.

6:15am: Take tray back to bed and put Daybreak on, watch four sweet little baby Cheetahs who have been born in Chester Zoo gambling in the sunshine, aah!  Eat breaky, saving some crusts for dogs who are waiting patiently. Give them their Dentastix and crusts which they take to their beds to eat and give them their cup of tea (good for their coats).

6:30am: Dry hair, (thank God for GHD's), clean teeth, apply make up, get dressed but with tracky bottoms and trainers, and get leads, two dogs now sitting at front door.

7am: Take dogs up the hill (great cardio workout which sets me up for the day) and round the block to the park. The dogs look longingly in through the fence at the private park which we pass where you have to pay to be member but we can't go in as sometimes they are not that well behaved and can mistake small fluffy dogs as edible bunny rabbits since their days on the farm, doesn't go down well with the owners!). However the public Park is a great place and is full of flowers, can see the Sea sparkling in the distance, good way to start the day.

7:30 am: Back home, change into work trousers. Make (healthy) packed lunch. Turn on Computer and check candidate's files and notes that I made in One-Note at end of last visit. Download an exam, make sure I have all resources for the day in my briefcase and backpack. Check route as going to a new site. Journey planned an hour and a half, need to arrive at 10am (time when candidate starts). Look at time needed to get to the next site where I have two learners who are due to complete). Aim to arrive earlier as need to make some calls to confirm rest of week's visits.

8am: Leave home, get in car, radio on, air con on, Sat Nav set. Switch between Radio 1 and Radio 2, Chris Moyles starting to get on my nerves, prefer Chris Evans show (must be getting old, quiet please!) Some good music and conversation happening, carry on singing where I know the words, make it up where I don't.  Listen to traffic news. No hold ups on route, fantastic.

9am: Making good progress, some nice scenery.

9:30am: Arrive at site, lots of free parking, great. Go into site and inform smiling, friendly receptionist that I am early but have come to see Emma who is due in at 10am and ask if Manager is available to speak to. She says that he is in his office and she will let him know I am here and asks me to take a seat in the Cafe and asks if I would like a coffee. Cappucino with chocolate sprinkles and complimentary biscuit brought to table, thanks.  Start to make calls, most people answer and I confirm the weeks appointments and have a nice chat with the candidates and make sure that they know what work needs to be ready. The Manager appears smiling and with a firm handshake. I introduce myself and explain what is planned while I am on site with Emma who is due in five minutes. He takes a great interest in the NVQ and is happy to accommodate whatever is needed. I ask if it will be possible to observe the daily set up meeting and he is happy for this to happen. I arrange to see him at the end of the visit to inform him of the progress.

10am: Emma arrives. She has her NVQ folder under her arm and I greet her and tell her that I will let her get her day set up first and have agreed with the Manager to observe their meeting. She says that she has arranged a tour for me to observe and has lots of calls to make for me also to observe. Great. I like this girl.   She gives me her completed workbook and GCSE certificates (goody, no key skills to do). I set up in the Sales Office which has plenty of room and convenient plug sockets and start to assess her book which has been completed to a good standard and download her GCSE exam results ready to sign off while she gets herself sorted out.

12pm: The visit has gone very well, very productive observations, she responded well to the feedback had passed her exam. We have completed 25% of the NVQ. The Manager comes to sign her off and they are both pleased with the progress.  He takes an interest in the Tech Cert project that she has to prepare for and is very supportive suggesting resources that will help. He says that he has another employee who is 18 (yes!) and who will have passed his probation by my next visit , would like to do the Sales NVQ and is very keen.  I book time in at the next visit to sign him up and explain what he will need to bring (NI's and ID). He says he will make sure he has it all ready for me. 

I leave and set off for next site half an hour away.

12:30pm: Arrive at next site, car park looks full but a car pulls out just as I arrive, (thanks parking fairy). Go in and can see candidate in reception, she greets me and takes me to the office where the Manager is also situated. The Manager (who I  know well as for four years now I have been delivering the NVQ's for her staff)  acknowledges that we are going for Gold today and aiming to complete both Jenny and Tom and says that she has provided cover. I thank her and we catch up on a bit of gossip (the leisure industry is a small place!).  Jenny proudly presents her research and says she has been working really hard for her tech cert and has booked time out to complete it.  While she is sitting her Tech Cert I eat my packed lunch and assess the work that Tom has done and although at one point he was in danger of falling behind as he was slow to start with, he responded well to death threats and has come up to the mark. He is so pleased to have completed on time and asks when he can start his Level 3. I explain that it takes a month to clear this NVQ but book a visit in my diary in a month's time and tell him what to start to prepare in order to be ahead of the game.

4:30pm: Both candidates completed on time, Manager and Candidates all happy and can head for home.

6pm: Arrive home to two ecstatic dogs. Dump stuff and head straight out for beach, tide is out, looks beautiful. Come back, synchronise computer, glass of wine. Neighbour invites me over for BBQ great stuff.

Perfect end to a perfect day. I love my job!