13/08/2025
A warm welcome to Shelley Nelson MIEP, who has recently joined the IEP as Learning and Quality Manager. She brings a strong background in Learning and Development (L&D) across the Employability and Skills sectors and is passionate about creating training that’s practical, engaging, and genuinely helps people do their jobs with confidence.
Shelley’s focus is on strengthening IEP’s external training offer and making learning meaningful – designing content that supports people on the frontline. She is passionate about supporting Employability organisations to build confident, capable teams through impactful learning, and is driven by a desire to create training that makes a genuine difference on the ground – helping professionals feel equipped, valued, and ready to support others.
Why were you drawn to this role at the IEP?
“I’ve followed IEP’s work for a long time and really believe in what the organisation stands for. I am excited to help shape something that makes a difference in our Sector, it felt like a brilliant next step.”
What background/skills do you bring to this role?
“I’ve worked in L&D for over 6 years, mostly in Employability. My background covers everything from training delivery and instructional design to leadership development and supporting continuous improvement – I love building things from the ground up and creating learning experiences that truly empower people to grow and thrive.”
How will your role help Members?
“My role is to help people progress in their careers, by building clear development pathways that help people grow, reflect, and step into new challenges with confidence.”
What excites you most about this role, any interesting projects in the works?
“I’m really excited about contributing to the development of our Learning Academy offer – from creating high-quality resources to support delivery across the Sector, to developing guidance and tools for our Satellite Centres so they can confidently deliver IEP training to their own teams. There’s a real opportunity to grow our reach while making sure everything we offer is consistent, practical, and built around the needs of our Members.”
What are the key challenges of this role?
“One of the key challenges is making sure our learning offer meets the diverse needs of different organisations while still maintaining a clear and consistent standard. It’s also about balancing ambition with capacity – there are so many great ideas and opportunities, and part of the role is prioritising what will have the biggest impact for our Members.”
What do you enjoy doing most outside of work?
“Researching my family tree, spending time with my family, and enjoying cuddles and countryside walks with my wee Pomeranian, Demi.”
Anything else you’d like to add?
“Just that I’m really proud to be part of the IEP and can’t wait to work with so many passionate people across the sector.”