Victoria Coates

DPS Group

Give us a brief description of your background

I have a rather unconventional background, so people keep telling me. I left school at 16 with a baby and was raising my siblings. In time I got a part-time job with the local council, which progressed to a full-time job working in the health and safety team. My career began there, I became interested in health and safety and began to explore which industry I wanted to be in. I moved sectors, from local council, to logistics, to construction, before finding myself with DPS Group. I am the HSEQ Manager and we work across seven key industrial sectors in electrical, control and instrumentation and it’s pretty interesting to say the least!

Outside of work I enjoy martial arts.

Who/what inspires you?

People who keep going. Regardless.

What does the word leadership make you think of?

Leadership to me means sharing information that you have and perhaps giving others another train of thought they may never have considered before. It is positive and empowers people to make informed decisions themselves.

Leaders have self-awareness, initiative and empathy.

How do you feel about taking part in the Future Leaders programme?

I am excited to be involved in the programme as we have such a diverse group, their opinions and life experiences are so different to mine and I learn something from each session we meet, not just as a leader but as a person too.

What do you think are the keys to a sustainable future?

Encouraging people to discuss and act on changes in their lives and influence others to do the same. It’s about delivering information to people so they can make informed decisions on their future.