My Professional Journey

Growing up in a mining town in the 70s and 80s meant that the career of choice for a female was limited; most found work in the local sewing factories or retail. University was not an option and financial support for further education was scarce.

Neither of those options appealed to me when leaving school.  I did want to be a police officer but, back then, height restrictions applied, and at just 5 foot 3 inches I didn’t qualify. So I started to apply for alternative jobs. With strong confidence in my "O" Level results (the predecessor to GCSEs), I decided to break away from the norm and aim for something beyond the usual expectations. That ambition led me to secure a junior position at Barclays Bank, starting on 1st July 1980.

During my time at Barclays, I seized every training opportunity available. I completed Banking Exams covering Economics, Accountancy, Business Development, and even Computer Programming, though back then, programming meant working with punch cards and binary codes! In addition, I attended night school to learn typing, achieving distinctions in every level. It wasn’t just about typing speed; we learned essential administrative skills like formatting documents, structuring letters, and perfecting grammar, skills that seem to be fading in today’s world.

Life moved forward, I got married and had children.  But just as I was preparing to return to work after maternity leave with my second daughter, everything changed in an instant.

My eldest, only two years old, was diagnosed with a rare eye cancer, Retinoblastoma. The news was devastating. She lost an eye to the disease, but thankfully, after the enucleation of her eye, she was eventually given the all-clear.

As my return-to-work date approached, I requested six months absence of unpaid leave to care for her during recovery. When my request was denied, I knew there was only one choice to make, so without hesitation, after 14 years’ service I handed in my notice.

It was hard, I had lost a very good income, but I stayed home to look after my children.

When I felt ready to return to work, I applied for a part-time receptionist role at my local GP practice. Little did I know, this would be the start of my journey into the NHS, a path that would shape my career in ways I never expected.

For a few years, working as a GP receptionist provided the perfect balance between my career and personal life.  However, as an ambitious individual, I soon craved new challenges and was ready to return to full-time work.

Fortunately, a role as a Personal Assistant to the Director of Public Health became available. I applied, was offered the position, and embraced an exciting opportunity that involved working across both the NHS and the local council. At the time, the Directorate was part of what was then called the Primary Care Trust, (PCT) responsible for NHS commissioning.

Always keen to develop my skills, I took advantage of every training opportunity and successfully earned a Management Diploma.

After a few years, I started feeling restless and knew I had reached my full potential within the PCT. Wanting a new challenge, I began searching for opportunities and soon came across the role of Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive at Barnsley NHS Trust. I applied, was offered the position, and embraced the opportunity.

I loved this position and the challenges that came with it, but as time went on and leadership changes took place, the work environment became increasingly toxic, impacting my mental well-being. During this period, I had developed a passion for floristry, spending time helping at a local florist and attending night school to gain formal qualifications.

While continuing my NHS career, I gradually built my own floristry business. Then, in 2018, I took a leap of faith, prioritising my well-being over job security. I left my NHS role to pursue floristry full-time, launching Wickham & Taylor Ltd.

I started out with a florist shop, but while weddings kept me busy, footfall was low. In 2019, I made the decision to move from a retail space to a home-based studio, converting my garage into a dedicated workspace. Specialising in weddings and events, the business grew until COVID and Brexit brought new challenges. While we managed to get through the pandemic, the wedding industry had changed once life returned to normal.

One of my greatest strengths had always been hosting floral workshops, particularly around Christmas. During a corporate workshop, I unexpectedly felt drawn back to the administrative side of business. Running my own company had helped me develop new transferrable skills, but I realised I truly missed my role as a PA. In that moment, I knew it was time to return to my career as a PA.

So, Carole Wickham Virtual PA Services came to life, and I wrapped up my final workshop in December 2023. What originally began as an idea to coach other PAs evolved significantly after I landed my first VPA client in 2022. I’m fortunate to work with some incredible clients doing work I absolutely love.

The future?

I’m always learning, especially when it comes to new software and programs. Gone are the days when I could write my own computer programs using punch cards, though I still proudly have "Computer Programmer" listed on my Business Diploma!

Looking ahead, my five-year plan includes partially retiring. During this time, I plan to bring on Associates, which will not only help me scale back but also allow the business to grow.

My career path hasn’t followed the route I imagined at 16, but I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved and feel fortunate for the opportunities I’ve had along the way.

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