Portrait of Jane Fairweather, Operations Director of Hinkley Point C power station in the UK

From casual steward to G4S Employee of the Year

From casual event-day steward to Operations Director of Hinkley Point C

ane Fairweather’s journey from casual event-day steward to Operations Director of Hinkley Point C is impressive. However, perhaps even more inspiring is the fact that Jane’s experience in security solutions is actually her second career and one that started just over 12 years ago.

“I went straight from A-levels into working at a bank at the age of 18”, she explains. “More than 20 years later with two kids, two horses, a dog and a husband working shifts I took on a casual job as an event steward for some extra cash to help out with the cost of horse feed. And I loved it. Many events later, the stars aligned and an opportunity came up for me to leave the bank and take up a position with G4S.”

Keen to learn and improve her skill set, Jane took every opportunity for further training that she could. She says:
“I was taking qualifications in things that I never imagined I would. I worked through my NVQ Level 2 in stewarding, Level 3 in supervision and Level 4 as a safety officer. That meant that I could run control rooms and I could make decisions on things like whether we went ahead with a concert. It was an absolutely incredible journey.”

This ‘incredible journey’ has included running the horse racing events at Newmarket, Haydock and Aintree. Jane’s CV includes the British F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone and the music festivals V Fest and Hyde Park along with key roles at national events.

Prior to taking up her current position, Jane was G4S Contract Manager to Manchester City FC where her role has included (among many other things) organising the international security support for trophy tours. In June 2023 she accompanied the team to Istanbul, coordinating G4S security as they won the UEFA Champions League Final.

Studying for a Management Apprenticeship in her 50s

Jane’s credits include a G4S Employee of the Year award and she recently passed her Level 5 NVQ in Leadership and Management.

She says: “I started the Level 5 Management Apprenticeship when I was 54. But my age wasn’t a barrier at all. Even when imposter syndrome kicks in, I have been supported by people who have pointed out my skills and really encouraged me.”

Today Jane and her Team are responsible for the security and welfare of up to 11,000 people who work every day at the Hinkley Point C site and its associated facilities at the power station in the UK.“It’s like running a small town. Every single problem you can think of that could happen in a small town could happen here and we have to be ready to deal with that”, she says.

Does she have any advice for people looking to change careers, or for women who may be interested in a job that has traditionally been male dominated? “Don’t be afraid of change and keep looking to learn”, she says.

“Being a security officer or steward is not about physicality and getting involved in conflict although you have to be prepared for that,” she adds. “It's about using your empathy, understanding and relatability. It includes listening to people, understanding them and being able to talk situations down. I think there is a much better understanding today of the role women can play in security.”