Scottish PA of the Year announced

The Scottish PA Network Awards has named Fiona Forbes as Scottish PA of the Year 2017 as part of a conference aimed at showcasing the crucial roles PAs across the globe make within the workplace. As part of the Scottish PA Network Conference, in association with Hays PA and Secretarial recruiting firm, Forbes has been awarded for going above and beyond her duties to become valued throughout the company.

Personal assistant to MD Peter Strachan at Serco Caledonian Sleeper in Inverness, Fiona Forbes has been highlighted for getting involved in strategic planning and leadership events, immersing herself in the company’s operations in addition to her expected admin and HR duties. She has been particularly commended on how much she has done in such a short time span, having joined the company just two years ago.

“I’d only been with the company for two weeks and I was asked to go to London on the Caledonian Sleeper to brief the on-board team on the new uniforms and menu,” said Forbes. “Being involved at ground level with what goes on in an organisation makes the role of a PA much more interesting and fulfilling. I was totally delighted to win the award!”

Currently organising a PA network in the Scottish Highlands, the judging panel were impressed with her commitment to the industry outside of her own company role, but Forbes wanted to remind the panel that she would not be able to pursue her passions without the support of her colleagues and employer.

“I’m really lucky that my manager supports me and recognises the importance of developing my PA networking skills, so I’m able to take time off to travel and attend events,” she continued. “Not all PAs have this, so my aim is to promote the PA industry and encourage others to benefit as I have.”

93% of PAs believe that their boss wouldn’t be able to do their job without a personal assistant, and 87% of bosses agree. For the Hays PA and Secretarial team, the award goes a long way to giving PAs the recognition they deserve.

“At Hays, we’ve seen demand for PAs and secretarial staff remain steady, and the trend for PAs to expand their responsibilities continues to grow,” explained Roddy Adair, director for Hays PA and Secretarial in Scotland. “This is why we’re committed to supporting PA talent in Scotland with tailored events and our specialist PA/secretarial team.”