Stephanie celebrates 40 years of service to Borders College

One of our best-loved and most dedicated employees is celebrating a huge milestone after reaching 40 years of continued service with the College.

Stephanie Bell has worked in a number of roles with us over the years and her commitment to the job and her professional integrity have been, to say the least, second to none.

Starting out back in April 1981, when the College was part of the then Borders Regional Council, Stephanie worked in the Catering department as a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer, before taking on the role of Department Head.

In 2003 she took up the position of Chef’s School Development Manager, followed by a period of time as a Senior Training Consultant with BC Consultants, now known as the Department of Enterprise and Business Innovation (DEBI).

Since 2013 she has worked as the Business Liaison Advisor with the DEBI, passing on her wealth of knowledge through the delivery of bespoke training solutions to a wide range of businesses/organisations.

Stephanie commented on her time at Borders College, saying:

“I can remember thinking during the first week that I would possibly stay for four or five years, little did I think that I would still be at Borders College 40 years on. The secret however is that I have been fortunate to have had a variety of challenging and interesting roles and during this time have worked with and continue to work with some truly amazing inspirational people, both colleagues and students. Many of the students have gone on to have exciting careers themselves and it is great to hear how they are progressing.”

Borders College Principal Angela Cox commented:

“The success of Borders College is a result of the expertise and commitment of our staff. Stephanies’s dedication to the thousands of students that have been trained by her over the last 40 years is a testament to this. We were delighted to be able to celebrate and thank Stephanie for her contribution to Borders College.”

Katharine Mathison, who is the Director of Enterprise and Business Innovation at the DEBI, and works with Stephanie, said:

“Stephanie is a valuable member of the team, always cheerful and supportive and she continues to provide a high-quality learning experience for students. It’s hard to believe she has been here for 40 years but we have enjoyed celebrating this achievement with her and look forward to working with her as part of the DEBI team for many more years.”

The DEBI team recently hosted an online celebration event, where Stephanie enjoyed an afternoon tea, flowers, cards and messages from her home in Cavers, Hawick, while reminiscing about her many years of work with us.

Congratulations Stephanie – we look forward to many more good years to come.