After being in the Royal Navy for a decade, Paul Parsons develops a great passion for the housing sector helping residents and colleagues.
Paul Parsons, our Head of Health and Safety and Assurance, left his old profession in submarines and construction and ventured into the new world of housing.
Paul said: “I have to say, I feel more at home in this industry than I have ever felt in a job. I feel truly at home working for a housing association.
“I never thought I would become the Head of Health and Safety in a large housing association but, I’m so glad I widened my horizons.”
With the help from the navy 24 years ago and its course to help further qualify leaving service people, he has found a great passion in helping people remain safe.
Developing his career and experience in health and safety after he left the navy in 2000, Paul joined LiveWest in 2016 and advanced his career to become the head of the department two years later.
He said: “I served in the navy for a decade, and I left in the year 2000. When I was leaving, I thought ‘what on earth am I going to do’.
“My role in the navy was as a medic on nuclear submarines so, I spoke to their career advisors, and they suggested to look into health and safety, and they put me on a course.
“I left the military, went into a nuclear safety job and then worked in construction safety, and then over seven years ago joined the social housing sector, which again is a different type of experience… there’s was a lot to learn.
Coming in fresh from the military and adapting to the change of careers, he said: “I had the exam qualification behind me, but I didn’t have any experience. I needed somebody to show some faith in me and give me that opportunity.”
Venturing into the housing sector and its new regulations, the 51-year-old has found enjoyment in helping our customers and colleagues across the South West.
With over 40,000 homes, over 80,000 residents and over 1,800 filled vacancies, Paul and his colleagues helps provide our health and safety framework.
As we provide a variety of services, like fixing boilers to fitting heat pumps in its homes, ensuring residential communal areas are safe, as the head of health and safety, he overlooks these works.
“I have always been about helping people and putting people first,” he said.
“I have been in health and safety for over 22 years, and I love what I do. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be doing this job.
“We continually monitor. We continually improve services, and we look after our colleagues and customers as our number one priority.
“We have implemented some really good things together as an organisation to provide a framework, and a really safe place to work and live.”