In a small Dover training centre back in 1997, a young woman from Yorkshire, who had just left the military, sat down at a computer to begin taking her first course, Excel Further Features. Little did she know that this simple decision would completely change the direction of her life, while touching the lives of thousands of others over the next twenty-five years.
Paula Elliott had no plans to become a franchise owner when she first walked through our doors as a student at just 19, fresh from serving as a Special Intelligence Operator in Her Majesty’s Forces. As a civilian at the time, she understood that she would need professional development and job training before seeking employment.
Her military background had already given her something special: incredible discipline, sharp observation skills, and the ability to engage with everyone and make genuine connections. These qualities would continue to be her personal and professional strengths, even becoming more impactful later in her story.
‘Leaving the army gave me lots of useful attributes,’ Paula explains. ‘But I still wanted proper qualifications on paper to land a good job. So, I decided to take an HR course, where I learned touch typing, spreadsheets, and that sort of thing. Those new skills, combined with my military background, helped me secure a job at Pitman Training. I spent my days helping people find training courses or jobs.’
From Student to Owner
Paula’s drive kept her moving forward on a career path that unfolded naturally, without any grand schemes, one step leading to another.
‘I loved helping people find work, and when my employer came to tell me that he’d decided to sell his business, I became very interested. At the time, I had the choice to either stay in recruitment or take a chance on my very own business venture. I chose the right path, I’ve never looked back since.’
This meant she would continue working at the very same centre where she studied years earlier. Over time, as she took on more responsibility, she discovered her gift for helping others through career transitions. Having gone through the entire experience herself meant she could truly relate – she knew their concerns firsthand.
Life can change dramatically in a short time. For Paula, that moment arrived in 2001 when the owners unexpectedly approached her about purchasing the business. ‘After thinking it through carefully, I decided to invest,’ she recalls. ‘It was scary but exciting.’
Paula went from student to career advisor to manager to owner in just four short years.
A Personal Approach to Leadership
Fast forward to today, Paula continues to bring her unique experience from being on both sides of the desk to her work. It has provided her with an impactful and fundamental understanding that few business owners possess.
‘When someone’s struggling to figure out their career direction or facing tough choices about next steps, they need a place to talk things through before deciding,’ she says, leaning forward. ‘This goes way beyond just courses or diplomas. What matters is what happens afterwards.’
The centre feels more like a warm, supportive community than just another training facility. For 25 years, students and businesses across Dover have come here for various reasons – training, upskilling, career goal guidance, role changes, staff development – but they get so much more than certificates. They build genuine confidence for the real world, valuable networks, connections, employment placement, ongoing support, and continuous education. The thousands who have trained and graduated in Dover speak highly of their experiences, grateful for the profound impact on their lives after walking through these doors.
‘I regularly take courses myself,’ Paula mentions. ‘This keeps me up to date with what’s happening in different industries. I honestly believe investing in your skills is the smartest money you’ll ever spend. Yes, it might help you secure a promotion or new job, but it also does wonders for your self-confidence. We build training packages around what each person needs to reach their goals – that’s why I love what I do.’
Changing Lives, One Student at a Time
For Paula, the real success story isn’t her business growth but the countless lives she’s touched and being part of a network that for nearly two decades has changed the lives of learners who gained new skills, rejoined the workforce, achieved their dream job and salary all across the UK, Ireland, and globally. Her face lights up when she talks about former students.
‘Take Stacie Pettman,’ she says, smiling broadly. ‘When she first came to see us, she couldn’t type a single word. She wasn’t even sure how to properly leave her old job.’
Stacie was training in-centre for legal office work, and later went on to become Dover’s honoured Student of the Year, typing an impressive 95 words per minute.
For Paula, the greatest satisfaction comes from witnessing the very real transformations in people’s lives. “It’s so rewarding to help people get what they want. It’s not about what we want. It’s what they want,” she shares passionately. There are countless success stories from Dover and across the network that are built on taking that first step, and Paula, like all of us here at Pitman Training, loves sharing examples of students whose lives changed after walking through our doors.
This support creates lasting impacts that extend far beyond the centre. Some journeys and experiences have a profound effect on us all. Paula recounted one such chance meeting that truly brought this home. “Sometimes you don’t even realise what an impact you have,” Paula reflects. “A few years ago, I was in the Body Shop in Folkestone and ran into an ex-student, a girl called Beth. She introduced me to her partner and said, ‘This is Paula. She saved my life.'” Paula pauses. ‘You just never realise sometimes how much you might affect somebody else’s life.’
Small Steps, Big Changes
What makes Paula’s story so relatable is how it all began and the path that has shaped her experience, which she uses to help others today.
That approach means not overwhelming people with massive career planning; instead, she focuses on practical principles, proper training, and a drive to better oneself, which will lead to successful transitions.
Much like she initially did when starting, by focusing on that first step and then the next one:
‘Just pick one skill you want to learn. Book your first class. Don’t worry about anything except what comes next.’
Looking Forward
As Paula celebrates her 25th year, her passion remains as strong as ever.
True success, for Paula, means the personal victories that happen daily inside her centre walls and for every person training with Pitman. The single mum finding work that fits around childcare, the professional who was made redundant now rebuilding their confidence with excellent career prospects on the rise, and young people discovering talents they never knew they had.
Paula’s journey perfectly mirrors the transformation she creates for others every day, demonstrating that sometimes a simple decision, such as signing up for a computer course, can lead to extraordinary results. Nobody can predict where such choices might lead, but with determination and the proper support, the possibilities truly are endless.
