Meet the Team

Simon Paton - Training Instructor

What name/nickname do you prefer to be called? 

Military nickname -  Scouse.  SpanSet nickname BT (Best Trainer 😊 ).

If you could write your own job title that best describes what you do here, what would it be?  

Life saver.

I spent 23 years in the Royal Navy as a Small arms and Medium range weapons instructor and 4 Years as Maritime Security Team leader protecting ship in the Indian Ocean from Pirates.  When I joined SpanSet 5 years ago as an Instructor, I was able to draw upon my years of instructing experience and the safety culture from my previous career.

What do you enjoy about the work you do?  

Meeting all types of different people and all the various jobs they do – lighting technicians in a theatre for example.

Candidate achievement - seeing their face when we tell them they are going to the top of the mast and them not believing they can do it, and after they have achieved the mast climb safely, the satisfaction on their faces and joy they have not fallen.

What are your hobbies?

Season ticket holder at Everton Football club/ Charity shop shopping with the wife looking for that one big find.

What volunteering or passion projects do you do outside of work? 

I have run military football teams and more recently helped out in charity shops, however nowadays as I’m away from home a lot with work, I focus on spending free time with my family.