Simon Thom - Getting To Know You

Simon is a valued member of our training team. When he's not conducting courses at our Leeds-based classroom, he regularly embarks on extensive travels, reaching clients across the UK as well as internationally! Simon's expertise lies in empowering planners and schedulers with the necessary skills in Primavera P6.

Where are you based? 

Yeadon, West Yorkshire.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I'm originally from Liverpool - my accent's always going to be a giveaway about that. I am and will remain a lifelong Liverpool supporter, wherever I may be.

How has your career path brought you to RPC?  

I’ve been a trainer for 35 years and a planner for over 20 years. I started out as a tomato farmer in my teens and then a civil servant before getting in to IT training in my 20s.

What attracted you to RPC?

In the early noughties I came to Guiseley to be trained on P3 by Pete Gable and we bonded over a mutual love of motorbikes. We became firm friends and some time later Pete invited me to join him as a trainer.

What are you working on right now?

I deliver P6 training at all levels wherever and whenever it is needed. If a customer needs a tailored training solution then I can create that for them and am currently in the process of bringing a long standing customised training package up to date for a client.

What do you like best about your job?

Two things. People and travel. People are the lifeblood of what we do and everyone has a story to tell. I’m endlessly fascinated by the experiences and expertise people bring to courses and I try to weave them into the fabric of the training to give as much context to what we are doing as is possible for delegates who are new to our world. Travel, near and far, is what I enjoy most about my role. I’ve been so fortunate over the years to have covered almost every inch of Britain.  At least that’s how it feels sometimes! I never in my wildest dreams as a child would have imagined that I would one day get to go to places like Scandinavia, USA and India and it’s been a privilege to get to see parts of the world that so few others do.

What do you do in your spare time?

I’m an enthusiastic but useless musician. My guitar playing is not going to grace an album any time soon but music is and always has been an abiding passion. My love of art has taken me to many of Europe’s major galleries and museums in pursuit of seeing works in the flesh, so to speak. My weekends are generally taken up with watching motorcycle racing on obscure subscription sports channels. I’m happy to bore on for hours on the subject just as I am on music and art.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a journalist. My chosen ‘O’ Level subjects were all aimed at that but it never came to pass.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Not so much a piece of advice as a philosophy that is very close to my heart. To paraphrase St Augustine...Life is like a book and the person who has never travelled has only read the first page.

What’s on your desk?

My laptop and an untidy pile of papers.

How do you like your tea?

Very hot and in a mug.

Dog or cat?

I’m daft about dogs. I adore them and one day, when circumstances allow, I will go the rescue centre and get one. My last dog, Louie, is much missed.

If your house was on fire, what 3 things would you save?

Everything’s replaceable, isn’t it? I’m pretty sure I’d grab my three most loved guitars on the way out though. 

What would your superpower be?

To be able to speak every language in the world so that no matter where I went, I could listen to the stories people have to tell about their lives.