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Often small changes can make big differences to how we operate, whether at work or at home. Taking time to develop your skills can seem like a luxury when there are so many other demands on your time; but, in today’s fast-paced world, we need to allow ourselves that space to keep ahead and remain effective. And we can easily get into bad habits over time so, every now and again, a refresher or reminder can help get us back on track. Heliotrope Learning is run by Emma Scott-Smith, an experienced trainer and facilitator having worked on a variety of programmes in over 20 years with KPMG.

About me

On leaving university, I trained as a chartered accountant – a fantastic opportunity to learn about a range of businesses. I loved looking round factories, sites and offices in order to understand what made each business tick.  That curiosity about business led me to want to help others understand. I got involved in audit training at KPMG, essentially training others to do effective audits. And that’s where I caught the training bug!

After moving into skills training at KPMG in 2001, I got involved in designing and delivering all sorts of training – from core skills courses to milestone events, assessment and development centres to leadership programmes, often incorporating blended learning. It has been a fascinating journey with lots to learn from colleagues and participants every day.

And, as a senior manager in the in-house Learning & Development team, purchasing both training courses and external presenters, I’ve been on the other side of the fence. So, I know how important it is for you to feel comfortable that your trainer does what they say they will, turns up on the day, gets back to you promptly and so on.

Whilst on maternity leave, surprisingly, I had time to think; I realised that I wanted to focus on the elements of my job that had given me the most enjoyment for the next stage of my career. And that was design and delivery – actually getting to the nub of the matter and helping people improve their skills through effective and memorable training. And so Heliotrope Learning was born…