New starter - Nicola Platt (BBS Receptionist)

Prior to working at Birmingham Business School…

I graduated with a BA (Hons) in Ancient History from University of Birmingham in 2011 and since then struggled to find secure employment.

After a period of unemployment and a Christmas job at HMV (never again!) I started volunteering at the New Art Gallery Walsall working in the archives which developed to some casual employment which then led to my employment at Birmingham Museums Trust working at the Museum and Art Gallery in the city centre as well as the heritage sites Aston and Blakesley Hall in Aston and Yardley respectively for two years.

It was an incredibly enjoyable experience and my colleagues became family to me, but my employment was jumping from one fixed term contract to another and I sadly ended up back on another zero hours contract at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery; so I took on two more casual jobs at the Black Country Museum to keep myself afloat at the end of last year.

And now I’m here! It’s nice to have some secure fulltime work for a change! 

My role at Birmingham Business School is…

As well as the general receptionist duties like dealing with student enquiries and taking telephone calls, I work for the Facilities team. So I raise purchase orders for items like stationary, tea/coffee etc, as well as reporting maintenance issues, signing for parcels, distributing newspapers and post along taking room bookings.

I also help out Kirsty and Richard whenever I can with their duties when they need me. We’re a team; therefore we help each other out.

In my spare time I…

Nothing overly exciting, I go to spin classes twice a week at my local leisure centre and I go to swimfit there every Tuesday, as well as the occasional bouldering session with my younger sister though I’m not very good at it.

Other than that just the usual cinema, meals (preferably Italian or Mexican!), pub and just catching up with my friends.

I’m also supporting my partner in his search for a better job and saving up for a mortgage which we hope to have in the next year (now made possible by the fulltime job), so watch this space!

My proudest moment or achievement is…

Probably between when I got 98% on my first module of A Level ICT coursework and when I took a blind gentleman on a tactile guided tour at Blakesley Hall when I worked there last summer. He enjoyed it just as much if not more than a full sighted person!

My favourite book or current read is…

As a history nerd I have a massive collection of history books. I’m currently reading ‘The search for Richard III: The King’s Grave’ by Philippa Langley (the crazy lady on the documentary) and Michael Jones though I don’t get much chance to read at the moment.

Would read more fiction but I’m just too fussy!

My earliest memory is…

It’s probably when I went to see my sister in hospital when she was born.

If I could only ever watch three films ever again, they would be…