Meet the Team
Carol Gray
Training Manager/Director
Carol joined the company in 1992 having spent some time working in various offices around Aberdeen in administration and recruitment. Initially, she was responsible for all administration matters and as the company developed, she became fully responsible for running the company and organising training.
Carol became a director in 2006 and has continued to develop her knowledge of plant machinery and training and now successfully controls quality assurance, client accounts and delegating work to staff. Her interpersonal skills, working knowledge and down to earth attitude makes Carol a valuable asset to the company.
Carol wants to continue to grow the business, building on the high quality training provision whilst ensuring great value and educating clients, employees and individuals to drive up the standards of mechanical skills and safety in the workplace across Scotland.
Key Role: Director / Training Manager
Special Skill: Problem Solving
Memorable Moment: Watching my son parade round Murrayfield with his rugby team
Proudest Achievement: Passing my LGV (then known as artic) test 1st time
Funniest Moment: Being "un-seated" by a beautiful horse after a gallop on Lossiemouth beach. It stopped, I didn't. Sore but funny!
Aspirations: Achieving a Business Management Degree
Iain Sanderson
Senior Instructor / Technical Director
Iain joined Bon-Accord Training in 1999 having spent three years in the Army as a plant operator.
Prior to this he worked in the construction industry for a number of years and is a highly enthusiastic instructor and excels in motivating candidates during training. His role within the company is both as an instructor and assessor in all disciplines.
His expert practical skills and knowledge of construction equipment and the ability to teach the subject makes him an integral member of our team.
Key Role: A link between the awarding bodies, work on-site and management for the development and maintenance of training standards.
Special Skill: Applying training standards in multiple industries that are practical and effective.
Memorable Moment: The birth of my twin daughters
Proudest Achievement: Awarded top student at 3 REGT Royal School of Military Engineering
Funniest Moment: Introducing mandatory Cards Against Humanity rounds at staff meetings
Aspirations: Introducing the art of Zen to operating heavy plant.
John Beattie
Senior Instructor
John has been with the company since 2004, joining from a production process and maintenance background. He gained most of his plant experience in the Territorial Army yet has also been involved in warehousing and distribution. His instructional role within the company draws on his forklift and lifting operations experience both as an operator and a supervisor. His practical skills and knowledge of these operations is an asset to our company.
Key Role: To train, test and assess trainees/candidates on a variety of plant equipment to industry accredited standards and levels.
Special Skill: Nobody can slice a golf ball like me!
Memorable Moment:
Proudest Achievement: Seeing my children's achievements whether its winning football trophies, representing the city at sport, becoming school captains and prefects or going on church missions.
Funniest Moment: Reversing over a lamppost with a drot after a plant show many years ago.
Aspirations: To move to the countryside.
Louise McLean
Training Co-ordinator
Louise started with Bon-Accord Training Ltd. in April 2014 after a long career in student admissions and project management at The Robert Gordon University. Following a brief dalliance with primary teaching (not her thing!) she joined us part-time to fit around her family. Louise's strengths include customer relations, spreadsheets and SQA policies.
Key Role: Training Co-ordinator. I advise on training courses and availability, booking courses and preparing joining instructions, paperwork and certification.
Special Skill: Spreadsheets - I love them (and it's just as well!)
Memorable Moment: Finding out after a few weeks of working at Bon-Accord Training that Carol was engaged to my cousin!
Proudest Achievement: My children. In a professional capacity being appointed Head of Admissions at RGU at the age of 27 (before the children!).
Funniest Moment: With three kids there are too many! But not long after starting with Bon-Accord Training I was convinced someone was pulling my leg (or they were possibly insane) when they asked for rubber duck training. I now know this is a 360° Wheeled Excavator.
Aspirations: In the words of my favourite singer "it was in love I was created and in love is how I hope I die."
Peter Mackenzie
RTITB Accredited Instructor
Peter joined the team during the global lockdown of April 2020. A qualified multi-skilled instructor, Peter is experienced in delivering training courses across a range of industrial settings including mechanical handling lifting equipment, abrasive wheels, and manual handling. In his spare time, he organises and delivers courses and activities in his role as Squadron Commander at the 1296 Turriff Air Cadets Squadron.
Key Role: RTITB Accredited Instructor
Special Skill: Being an instructor is a passion of mine. Not only have I been an accredited instructor for only 6 years, I am also an instructor with the Royal Air Force Air Cadets. I provide training for cadets and staff across the North East of Scotland.
Memorable Moment: Training with a Cherry Picker in a cave 500 meters below ground
Proudest Achievement: Being recognised for my hard work and dedication in the RAF Air Cadets and being awarded a Certificate for Meritorious Service
Funniest Moment: I enjoy meeting different people across all industries and parts of the Country. Every day is different which makes the job so fun
Aspirations: To further my career and training with Bon Accord Training and continue to deliver high-quality training to our customers all over Scotland.
Mark Carter
RTITB Accredited Instructor
Mark joined Bon Accord Training Ltd in December 2019. After seven years in the military working in hostile environments throughout the globe, Mark then worked in various roles both offshore and onshore. He moved into instructor roles in health and safety and mechanical skills in 2014 and brings a wide range of experience and skills to his role at Bon Accord Training.
Key Role: RTITB Accredited Instructor
Special Skill: To improvise, adapt and overcome any situation.
Memorable Moment: My then girlfriend saying yes to being my wife.
Proudest Achievement: Serving my Country.
Funniest Moment: My Fiancée threw a jellyfish at me to stop it from stinging her - I still have the scars!
Aspirations: To continue to help and develop people and continue to work hard.
Claire Curran
Training Administrator
Claire joined Bon Accord Training through the government’s Kickstart Scheme in November 2021. Prior to this, Claire studied music in Aberdeen while performing live in bars at weekends. Since joining the team, Claire has passed her B1 counterbalance forklift course, and is looking forward to a career with Bon-Accord Training.
Key Role: Training Administrator
Special Skill: Lucky enough to have had music lessons growing up, so am multi-instrumental, and can belt out a tune…or two!
Memorable Moment: I really enjoyed performing all my original songs at a Singer/Songwriter showcase once in a local bar. Have had many a memorable gig over the years, good, bad, and ugly!
Proudest Achievement: Distinction in Popular Music Vocal Exam aged 16.
Funniest Moment: I have too many to pick from…
Aspirations: To continue learning about the training courses with Bon-Accord Training and see where my career takes me.
Craig Kennedy
RTITB Accredited Instructor
Job role: RTITB Instructor
Special Skill: Patience and lots of it.
Memorable Moment: Passing my Instructors course first time whilst dealing with a 1 year old daughter and my 2 week old son at the time.
Proudest achievement: Going to New York twice (and can't wait to go back with my kids to see the big apple again)!
Funniest Moment: My life every day dealing with my kids.
Aspirations: To keep enjoying my job and helping people gain life changing skills.
Nicola McNiel
Training Administrator
Key Role: Training Administrator
Special Skill: Headstands and Organising
Memorable Moment: Setting my one and only ever new year’s resolution to appear on a gameshow and making my debut on Think Tank the same year – I and it was rubbish, but I did it!
Proudest Achievement: If we don’t include my children, who continue to make me proud regularly. I would say moving to Edinburgh at age 19 without a job or place to stay and being employed and in a flat within 3 days
Funniest Moment: If you stay in my company for long enough I will put my foot in it, most likely in a big way, this is usually hilarious for those around me and leaves me mortified
Aspirations: Really I just strive to be happy – life is too short to sweat the small stuff. I’m looking forward to learning all about Bon Accord Training and becoming a key part of the team
Matt Vranch
Instructor
Key Role: Instructor
Special Skill: Patience and understanding
Memorable Moment: Completing my army training at 17 years old and serving 14 years in the Infantry
Proudest Achievement: Receiving a Commendation for Bravery and a mention in the Queens' dispatches for my actions during the Cyprus fires in 1999 for saving my officers life when he caught fire.
Funniest Moment: Doing a search of a drain system in Northern Ireland and getting stuck and having to be pulled out by my ankles
Aspirations: to carry on training and improve my skills as most as possible with Bon accord training.