Nottingham Trent University Guest Speaker From CAA – Cameron Vaughan
On Monday 25th November 2024 I was fortunate to have been invited back to my university, Nottingham Trent, to speak about coaching in the workplace to 4th year students. I was sat in their place 4 years ago wondering how coaching and mentoring was going to be pertinent to me in the workplace and was thrilled to be given the chance to explain my journey to being a CI coach within the CAA.
Having introduced myself and explained what I do daily, (of which there is no specific answer due to the fluidity of my work), I went on to explain how coaching isn’t just related to my role or someone with the name ‘coach’ in their job title but the skills learned around communication which are relevant in all walks of life. I described how all engagement with stakeholders, even just making conversation, requires finding a common ground and discovering the best way to collaborate to reach common goals together. We discussed how supporting others to reach conclusions can be just as valuable as giving someone the answer to their problem and that it generally leads to a much greater feeling of success if someone is enabled to answer their own challenges. The students then asked about some of the biggest challenges I’ve come across and how best to tackle challenging conversations with colleagues of all levels across a business, one example being how best to encourage others to take up a change initiative when they at first may be hesitant to do so. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing how my role allows me to understand and support all areas of the business and to understand how it all fits together like a jigsaw.
The opportunity to share my experiences as an alumnus, and that regardless of where your career takes you that you should never stop learning how best to communicate was fantastic. The talk was received well and hopefully of value to those taking the leap into the working world in half a year’s time. The key takeaway from the day was ‘coaching is all about enabling others to achieve the best results for themselves.’
‘STEM isn’t just about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—it’s about creativity, collaboration, and solving real-world problems that make a difference. Engaging in STEM opportunities empowers personal growth, inspires innovation, and fosters skills that are relevant to every career and industry.’ Brenda Jefcoate – CAA STEM Lead
Feedback from attendees:
‘Thanks for sharing your experiences, keep up the good work.’ – Paul Wreaves
‘It was really inspiring hearing the advice you shared to us today, thank you for taking time out to speak to myself and the rest of the final year International Business Students.’ – Dhruv Pankhania