MACTAC - About Us

About Us

The Team

Katrina Jones

Centre Manager

Hello I'm Pauline and I'm the CEO of the VNC and I've been involved in VNC since its inception as a volunteer and committee member, before commencing employment with VNC in 1986 as a Community Programme Supervisor, progressing to Assistant CEO in 1999 and taking over as CE later that year following retirement of the founding CEO.

I was a Liverpool City Councillor from 1999-2004 with responsibility for budget setting and ensuring legal requirements were adhered to, developing effective communication skills and learning to deal with people from a range of backgrounds.

My work with VNC and LCC over an extended period has resulted in extensive knowledge of local communities across Merseyside and practical experience of working with community groups in North Liverpool

With myself & family being from the Vauxhall area, I have always wanted to help the local & wider community. With being in a position to do this, I enjoy seeing people get the help & support they need to succeed or overcome barriers.

I have worked in an office environment for approximately 30 years. I've gained a vast experience and knowledge of all aspects of Business and Administration. I've worked for both private companies and the public sector, and have also worked in a Government Agency as a civil servant for 9 years as an individual case decision maker.

Now I'm working at MACTAC as a Tutor and Assessor for several of the courses we offer including employability and QCF qualifications.

I really enjoy working at MACTAC. We have a good team working well together that creates a happy and enjoyable learning environment. This reflects onto our learners and encourages them to achieve their potential.

Hi, I’m Katrina. I've worked at MACTAC since 2008. My role is Centre Manager, Tutor Assessor and Lead Verifier/Quality Assurance.

I started my career in the Healthcare Sector, where I developed a lot of my skills. On arriving in Liverpool in 1992, I moved into training. This has opened many doors for my development and my passion for seeing achievement in others.

Throughout my career I have gained a variety of qualifications including Management, Key Skills, Level 4 Childcare, Business Administration, Assessor and Internal Verification Awards, and Trainers’ Qualifications.

I have also had the opportunity of setting up private and charitable day nurseries. I was the Chairperson of a charity for two years.

MACTAC (Merseyside Accredited Community Training and Assessment Centre) is part of the VNC (Vauxhall Neighbourhood Council), a voluntary organisation working in the Liverpool inner-city wards of Vauxhall and Everton.

We were established in 1994 to provide training within the local community. MACTAC delivers training to learners working towards QCF awards, certificates and diplomas in a variety of subjects – from Entry Level all the way up to Level 5. We also offer bespoke training opportunities to meet the individual needs of employers.

Anita Oliver

Tutor/Assessor/IV

Hi! I'm Anita and I'm a Tutor, Assessor and IV at MACTAC.

I've worked at MACTAC since 1999 and with children since 1986, when I began to manage a community playgroup which I managed for 14 years. Within this period, I also worked on a sessional basis as a Family Support Worker for Liverpool Social Services, working with Early Years children, children with SEN and their families, within the family homes.

I'm qualified and accredited to deliver training for Levels 2, 3 and 4 within Early Years, Playwork, Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools, Childminders’ Registration and Parenting Awards. I hold a CMI Level 4 Management qualification and deliver Leadership and Management training. I have also developed and delivered Childcare taster courses, which I have taken to a variety of community settings across Liverpool.

My heart as you may have noticed lies within the community. I have for many years enjoyed working within, and supporting, on a voluntary basis, my local community working with a wide range of age groups, from children and young people, right through the age ranges to the elderly. I still actively work for the community centre where I ran the playgroup and look forward to doing so for a long time.

Edna Kendall

Tutor/Assessor/IV

I started my career in a training centre over 30 years ago, which gave me the opportunity to work with 16-19 year olds to develop their personal and working skills, and in the process furthered my skills in the training field.

I have been involved in delivering and assessing NVQs in Business Administration and Customer Service and have been involved in successfully running a variety of programmes with students ranging from 16-59 years old.

I'm a great believer that everyone is gifted and with support, patience and motivation can reach their goals. I also enjoy the one-to-one interaction with the students and get the same sense of achievement as them when they reach their targets.

Linda Barooah

Administrator

I joined the team in 2010 to provide administration support to both staff and learners. My role here ranges from answering the telephones, greeting customers, registration of learners with awarding organisations, booking exams and general office duties. I had previous office experience when I joined MACTAC, but have up-skilled during my time here to gain my level 2 Customer Service and level 3 in Business Administration.

I thoroughly enjoy working at MACTAC. There is a good team spirit and the environment is friendly and welcoming. It is lovely to see the learners’ confidence grow as they realise their achievements.

Cheryl Maloney

Mentor & Housekeeping

Hi, I'm Cheryl. I’m 38 years old and a mentor to the learners at MACTAC. I'm a fully qualified Beauty Therapist of 20 years and my previous areas of work have been in the Beauty Industry and Further Education training.

I enjoy working in the friendly environment here and being in a position to assist the learners on their learning journey so that they can reach their goals of both qualifications and self development.

John Power

ICT Manager

I joined VNC/MACTAC in 1998 as ICT Manager. In that time my role has changed and evolved. I have been involved in Training and Education in one form or another for 40 years. Currently, I am responsible for VNC/MACTAC ICT implementation, both technical and virtual. Specifically for MACTAC, I developed and manage the on-line Training and Assessment programs. Although predominantly around Childcare and Working with Parents, new programs are being developed by me all the time.

I am a great believer in continuing/adult education and especially in ICT skills development and the use of converging technologies for education, work and leisure.

I have two Open University diplomas in Information Technology and Computer Programming. I also attained a Certificate in Education and gained qualifications as an NVQ Assessor.

As MACTAC’s technical support representative I operate an ‘open door’ policy and I encourage candidates to feed back their experiences of our online systems as much as possible.

Accreditation

Karin White

Administrator

Hi, my name is Karin and I'm an administrator at MACTAC. I originally came from the Vauxhall area where MACTAC is situated and my family have always been involved in the community. I worked for the VNC previously and was happy to be given the opportunity to come back as a volunteer. The friendly atmosphere and support from staff and learners make me feel valued and this has helped me regain my confidence.

My role entails undertaking administrative duties and data input; this is supported by my Level 4 NVQ in Business Management. I also have my Level 3 NVQs in Customer Service and Business Administration – and a vast amount of experience.

Wayne Howard

Recruitment & Mentor

Hello, I'm Wayne and I'm the newest addition to the MACTAC team. Previously a volunteer for MACTAC helping them with their website & social media I was employed to help support individuals on the employability programme. This is something I enjoy doing as after being out of work myself for a period of time, I can help relate to the individuals and the barriers they face.

Recruitment is another role that I support MACTAC in. This ranges from engaging with employers for work placements to apprenticeships, recruiting individuals to our programmes and qualifications & attending events to help showcase MACTAC.

I enjoy working at MACTAC and supported by a great team of individuals.