“So I was looking for something to do to progress and I wasn’t sure what would be best, but then I heard about the awards and thought it would be a great top-up to everything I’ve achieved so far.
“It was really amazing. When I entered it I didn’t know what to expect and didn’t even think about getting to the final,” Eltringham said.
Paraplanner retention
Speaking about some of the issues in the sector at the moment, Eltringham acknowledges that staff retention is a challenge for firms.
In her view, above all else, offering a decent salary package is the number one thing a firm can do to keep staff.
"At the end of the day we work for money because we need to provide for ourselves and our families. So a good basic salary and other benefits like pension contributions, private medical or income protection would be good - and potentially a bonus," Eltringham said.
"The environment at work is also very important. We spend eight hours a day, five days a week at work. It's like our second home so we want to work in a nice environment with a nice team."
jane.matthews@ft.com
