"The more you give, the better it is for everyone"

What was your journey into quality, and when and why did you decide to join the CQI?

I have been doing quality for most of my career, and I got into quite senior positions fairly quickly; by 27 I was in a manager role. I was aware that the CQI existed, but was probably in my mid-30s when I thought I really should get involved with it, as being a member of a professional body is helpful from a skills point of view.

How did you first become involved in branch activity and how did your role develop with the North of Scotland branch?

I was a CQI member when I moved to Aberdeen, and I noticed there was a CQI branch in the area, so I got in touch.

I was lucky at the time because we had a long-standing CQI member called Stephen Coles. Steve was a stalwart of the CQI and represented Scotland on committees, and he invited me to come along to a branch meeting.

The first one I went to was at a local distillery in the village where I was living. I didn’t know anyone, but everyone was so genuinely friendly and interested in me and where I was working. That was really reassuring, because I had uprooted my family to move to the area. During the visit, the distillery brought out some whisky samples – very nice stuff – but everybody was driving apart from me, the one person who lived in the area. It was a very good introduction to the branch!

After that first meeting, I began to get involved and started to help when they needed a hand to organise things. Steve then asked me to be Vice Chair and I was elected to that position. It let me step up and help Steve, and take charge when he was not able to attend – but the rest of the committee was so strong that I didn't have much to do! It was a great way of easing me into things. As Vice Chair of the branch, I got more involved with the Scottish committee. When Steve decided to throttle back on his involvement, he asked if I would be willing to be Chair of the branch, and I was then voted in.

"I never volunteered to gain, but that is the beauty of the CQI – you can help in so many ways."

Colin Campbell CQP FCQI, Managing Director of QualCol

We grew the branch a lot in that time, with around 30-40 people regularly coming to our events. I then moved to York for a couple of years, so Ian Rose took over as Chair for four years and did an amazing job. When he moved on, I took over again until we could elect someone else – but then Covid happened, so I stayed in position. I have been blessed with some really good people on the committee, and great support – really, too many superstars to mention here!

You have been involved with branch activity for so long – what keeps your interest?

I like the people I am working with. That is a lot of the joy of being a CQI member – getting to know and working with people you would otherwise not have met. It has been a long journey, but I got there just by being keen and interested in helping.

What does your role as a branch chair involve?

The answer to that is two-fold. First, to promote quality, and to show people that it is not just relevant to the oil and gas industry in the north of Scotland, but to all industries. We do that through our branch events, with people from different sectors offering their insight.

Second, networking. That term is a bit of a catch-all phrase, because it doesn’t just mean people meeting up; it also allows us to offer guidance and support when people need it, and to develop relationships with other businesses or institutions.

For example, we have very close ties with Robert Gordon University, in Aberdeen, and once a year we hold an event there, which allows us to meet students directly. I have also done some guest lecturing at the university.

How has your CQI volunteer role assisted your own career?

It has helped me immeasurably. When I first came to Aberdeen, it allowed me to connect and network in an unfamiliar industry, so I very quickly got to meet people who understood what I was working in and could offer advice and support. It has also helped me to make some lifelong friends, from whom I have learned a lot.

The role has also given me confidence. I used to wonder what I was doing wrong if people didn’t turn up for a meeting, but you soon realise that people giving up their time is a luxury, so you need to make it really useful and beneficial to encourage them to attend.

I have also been a judge for the International Quality Awards. That is one of the most fun things I have done professionally – it makes you proud and humble at the same time. I loved seeing the great presentations, and some of the initial submissions just make you think ‘Wow!’.

What advice would you give to others who might be considering volunteering with the CQI?

Get involved; give what you can, because you will get more back in return. I never expected that to happen, but I have got back tonnes – whether in knowledge, friendships, professional standing, or help I needed along the way.

I never volunteered to gain, but that is the beauty of the CQI – you can help in so many ways. The more you can give, the better it is for everyone, so just do what you can. People are very kind and supportive, and it is such a great community.