Jo Evans is one of our highly qualified Lead Trainers operating from Surrey and has been with Nuco Training since 2018.

My background is in leadership in the Education sector which I started in 2010. I have been training school leaders in improving Safeguarding practices since 2000 and taking on the role of a Safeguarding Adviser and Independent Investigator for Safeguarding in Education. In 2018 I joined Nuco Training to lead Safeguarding and Mental Health courses and became a lead trainer specialising in these areas.

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When did you first learn first aid and why?

When I was younger, I became a national Gymnast and developed an interest in sports injuries, becoming familiar with First Aid, bandaging and supporting injuries, whilst volunteering alongside Physiotherapists. In such a highly competitive environment, injuries were common whilst competing and I developed an interest in First Aid that continued throughout my life. I first became qualified in First Aid in 1996 and have been involved in Paediatric First Aid and First Aid at Work for over 20 years.

What made you choose to become a first aid instructor/trainer?

Throughout my career as a teacher and later school leader, I have been involved in teaching, training and staff development in many different areas. Training adults has always been something I particularly enjoyed and equipping people with confidence in new areas, developing new skills and reinforcing previous knowledge has always been important to me and something I take pride in.

I became an independent trainer in 2018 and soon became part of the Nuco lead trainer team delivering their instructor courses. I was always impressed with how comprehensive the Nuco courses were and how supportive and knowledgeable the lead trainers were, in the courses I attended. I was delighted to join the team in 2021. Alongside my own courses I predominantly work for Nuco Training running their Instructor courses.

What would you say to someone considering becoming a first aider?

It is such an important qualification to have. Over my time in education and sports I have seen first hand how important it is to have the right First Aid training in place to save lives. An experienced trainer who can share their first hand experiences, makes the training far more enriching and relevant. If you are considering becoming a first aid trainer and are passionate about equipping people to be first aiders in their own lives, work place and even passing someone on the street and stepping in, then I highly recommend you to do it.

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