Paul Appleyard has been appointed equality and diversity manager, specialising
in disability issues, at Barclays Bank’s global headquarters in London.
He overcame visual problems to gain the CIPD Postgraduate Diploma at
Doncaster College’s Dearne Valley Business School (DVBS).
Appleyard is registered as blind due to macular degeneration, a condition
which reduces all but his peripheral vision. "I can just about make out
the top letter on a typical eye chart," he says.
He went into banking when he was 18 and became an HR adviser, but he
realised to progress any further he’d have to become a graduate member of the
CIPD.
Barclay’s gave him the time off to study and subsequently, he completed a
one-year Certificate in Personnel Practice, followed by the two-year
postgraduate diploma.
The CIPD, DVBS and Appleyard himself, all had to climb a steep learning
curve to adapt the course to his additional needs, but were helped by funding
from the college’s student support scheme.
"At first I got little more than enlarged photocopies. But over time,
things got much better and the additional help I received was reflected in very
good grades during the final year. It became clear that a little more help for
me was also going to benefit the staff and future disabled students in the long
run," he says.
"I use a voice input system to operate my computer and closed circuit
TV to produce an enlarged image on the monitor of anything I need to read at
home," he explains.
"I regard my job now as focusing on people’s abilities, and promoting
the concept of the ‘differently able’. You have to concentrate on what you can
do, and when you meet a barrier, either climb it, bypass it or break it
down."
CV
2001 Equality and diversity manager, Barclays Bank
1997 HR adviser, Barclays Bank
1993 Business banker, Barclays Bank
On the move
Sarah Fisher has joined car manufacturer Toyota as the new personnel and
training director. She replaces Gary Birney who left the firm after eight years.
Fisher joins the group from Siemens Business Services, where she was HR
director. Prior to this, she held a variety of personnel management training
and development roles within ICL (now Fujitsu). Reporting to managing director Graham Smith, she will be
responsible for personnel, training and development strategy.
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Mike Russell has joined business process firm Vertex to lead on recruitment
activities for all senior roles. He joins the group after a varied career as a
senior HR professional at ICL (now Fujitsu). Russell will be responsible for
all aspects of senior recruitment, including creating new techniques, enhancing
existing systems and building stronger external relationships for future
recruitment activities.
Morgan Cole has promoted employment law specialist Wendy Leydon to become
the eighth partner at the legal firm. Leydon joined the company in 1988,
qualifying as a solicitor the following year and specialising in
discrimination, collectives and strategic HR issues. She moves from being head
of the law firm’s employment team in Reading and will be based at the
practice’s Oxford office. Following three other promotions, Morgan Cole now has
a total of 82 partners.
