It seems quite apt that on Friday 13th December, it was time for a Library Spotlight talk on the subject of catastrophe management. This time, it was the turn of Old Stop, Becky Hill (OS 2017).

Becky spoke to a packed crowd of pupils and staff alike about her career journey so far, catastrophe modelling, and what she called a ‘Risk Analyst’s Toolkit’. We were surprised to hear that it all starts with developing soft skills and MS Office proficiency!

After completing a bachelor’s degree in Geography and a masters Risk and Security, Becky currently assesses risk for an insurance broker. It is Becky’s job to quantify the likely loss that client companies may face - should the worst happen - to ensure that the organisation has the correct level of insurance.

When asked about the role that Stockport Grammar School has played in her life and career, she said that when at school, she developed her confidence in new situations, and ability to listen and learn. She also mentioned that she wouldn’t be doing what she does now without her Geography teachers at SGS.

And what has Becky learnt along the way about all things career development? “It’s easy for your career path to look polished,” Becky noted, “but there’s so much about other people’s career journeys that you don’t see. It’s what you don’t see that you often learn from the most”.

Thank you so much to Gillian Gallois, the Library team and Becky for making us re-think the unthinkable.