About Paul Collins

Born and bred in Lincolnshire, Paul Collins qualified as an instructor/examiner on industrial plant and equipment in 1996, initially carrying out training ‘in-house’ for well known frozen food brand Ross Foods, with whom he was employed for twenty four years.

From a teenager quite literally sweeping the factory floors, Paul moved through the ranks to spend many years working within the Cold Storage side of the Ross Foods business, initially driving forklift trucks in a working environment where the temperature is held constantly at around minus 25 degrees Celsius, not the most comfortable of environments but it paid the bills!!

Continuing his career development, by the time Paul moved on from the company he held a senior management position as logistics co-ordinator along with health, safety and training responsibilities for various parts of the business.

A move into the world of commercial training followed, and Paul became General Manager of a small training business in Lincolnshire, he successfully developed the business over the next nine years, increasing the amount of instructors and providing forklift truck and many other types of industrial training to several blue chip companies throughout the UK, and on the Isle of Man, before taking the plunge in 2010 and starting ‘Paul Collins Training’ which among other things enabled him to fulfil a long held ambition to live and work on the Isle of Man.
 


Paul’s love of the island stems from many years of involvement in the TT & Manx Grand Prix, an ex racer himself with some eleven seasons of competition on the UK short circuits and some club championships under his belt, Paul readily admits he never quite felt brave enough to tackle the mountain course as a competitor, but gained a great sense of achievement helping others.

 

For many years he spent his annual holidays working with local rider Barry Wood and later with both the Martin Bullock team and the LloydsTSB - Mannin Collection’s team, preparing machines and helping both Russell Henley & Nigel Beattie to success in the Manx Grand Prix, in particular he is proud of his work with Nigel, assisting him from a 17 year old newcomer to a winner some 6 years later.

 

Given the fact that Paul is also a qualified Health & Safety consultant, people are often quite surprised to learn that not only is he a former motorcycle racer but also a qualified aerobatics pilot, holding the AOPA basic & standard level certificates, and has competed in UK aerobatics events.

 

Over the past 12 months Paul has focused on establishing the business and hobbies have had to take a back seat, but he still finds time to keep his hand in, and is hoping to find time to enter a few aerobatics competitions during 2012.


Paul certainly doesn’t fit in to the stereotypical grey suited, Volvo driving, mineral water drinking image. which seems to be most people’s assumption of a typical ‘Health & Safety’ person!!


Using his knowledge and experience he delivers his training in a friendly, relaxed, yet thoroughly professional manner which is guaranteed to put people at ease, and his Health & Safety consultancy follows the principles of a common sense approach to help businesses to comply with their legal requirements with the minimum of fuss and expense, everything is explained in plain and simple terms.
So give Paul a call for an informal chat about your training or consultancy requirements and he will be more than happy to help you.