Overcoming Barriers and Driving Business Impact with Claudia Scott Post Date : August 26, 2026 Career 4 minutes read At CHEC, we are passionate about creating an environment where our people can grow, thrive, and achieve their full potential. Today, we are delighted to shine the spotlight on Claudia Scott, Education Coordinator at CHEC, who earlier this year completed her Level 4 Project Management Apprenticeship with a Distinction—a phenomenal achievement given the remarkable journey she took to get there. A Journey of Resilience and Determination Claudia’s path to completing her qualification was anything but straightforward. Originally starting her Level 4 Project Management Apprenticeship in April 2022 in the education and employability sector, Claudia faced an extraordinary series of hurdles that turned what was intended to be an 18-month programme into a four-year test of persistence. Over that period, Claudia navigated major life changes and unexpected professional disruptions. She was made redundant when her former employer went into liquidation, transitioned into a temporary role, went on maternity leave to welcome her child, and relocated to Preston away from her family networks. When Claudia joined CHEC in July 2024 to manage our strategic partnership with the University of Lancashire (ULan), she brought invaluable experience, but her apprenticeship remained unfinished. Once settled, Claudia reached out to her training provider to pick up where she left off. Yet, another hurdle appeared in August 2025 when her original provider went into liquidation, requiring a swift transition to a new provider in September 2025 to finally sit her End-Point Assessment (EPA). Despite every reason to put her studies aside, Claudia’s determination never wavered. In April 2026, she sat her EPA and passed with a top-tier Distinction. Finding the Right Balance at CHEC For Claudia, returning to her studies was made possible by the supportive environment and culture at CHEC. As a new mother living away from immediate family, maintaining a healthy work-life balance was essential. “CHEC felt like the right fit from the very beginning, providing the work-life balance I was looking for when returning from maternity leave. Developing my skills and knowledge with an apprenticeship was the right choice because it aligned directly with my role and aspirations. Throughout the journey, I received exceptional support both Sarah Jeffrey and Amanda Williams, who provided opportunities to gain exposure to different areas of the business to allow me to complete my qualification to a high standard” — Claudia Scott, Education Coordinator Unlike her previous roles, where she had only seen specific stages of project execution, CHEC provided Claudia with end-to-end exposure across the full project lifecycle. This full-spectrum experience proved vital in successfully completing her EPA. Delivering Tangible Business Impact Claudia’s project management expertise is already delivering real value across CHEC, with her project work helping to streamline operations, enhance cross-departmental collaboration, and strengthen our educational support networks. Her proactive approach has allowed CHEC to refine internal processes and deliver seamless experiences for ULan students on placement—flipping her previous experience in placement allocation to managing and elevating the host environment itself. Looking Ahead: Continuous Growth and Leadership Claudia’s journey at CHEC is only just getting started. Following her distinction, her role continues to expand beyond the People and Education team into wider operational initiatives: ESG Leadership: Claudia will be co-heading CHEC’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives alongside colleagues Amanda and Steven for the upcoming financial year. Change Advisory Board: She now sits on CHEC’s Change Advisory Board, bringing structured project coordination to broader strategic change management. Next Educational Milestone: Demonstrating her commitment to lifelong learning, Claudia is starting her Level 5 Apprenticeship in Excellence in Leadership this month with Realise Training to match her professional qualification to her growing responsibilities. A Commitment to Our People Claudia’s success highlights the core values of CHEC’s HR and People strategy: empowering our team members to push outside their comfort zones, gain well-rounded business knowledge, and build rewarding careers. “At CHEC, they will push and support you to be the best version of yourself and the biggest asset to the organisation. I support multiple functions to understand the business more, and most importantly, I truly enjoy coming to work every day.” Please join us in celebrating Claudia’s impressive achievement, her resilience, and her ongoing contributions to making CHEC a fantastic place to work and grow!