Our rocking wellbeing fitness hero

In any business, there is always an unsung hero or two. For Prototype Projects, Vikki Pringle is one such hero.

With a degree in Applied Biology, attained in part from the University of Nottingham and completed with the University of Hertfordshire, Vikki’s work life began with a company that made animal vaccines. The break in study was because of a fulfilling year-in-industry but the final year undertaken at Hertfordshire was focused on microbiology, which married well with Vikki’s work.

Around six years later, Vikki moved to a pharma company and worked as their Medical Sales Rep. This rewarding position enabled her to draw on her biology background, but juggling an expanding young family, Vikki took a step back after five years and began working for AG Pringle, a design engineering company run by her father-in-law.

With a background in science, Vikki’s new role required a significant amount of relearning which Vikki did by herself and soon became adept in all things administration and accounting. The role with AG Pringle soon changed into a role with Prototype Projects, where Vikki has continued gaining knowledge and assuming more responsibility. It was, and continues to be, an ‘evolving’ role.

Since joining Team PP, Vikki has managed the financial side of the business, with support from the accountants. She then became the Company Secretary and has continued to progress into a managerial role whereby she not only oversees the financial aspect of the business, which is now managed by Shane Lee on a day-to-day basis, but she is also the wellbeing and HR lead.

Vikki said:

“The impact of Covid on family/school/home/work life really made me appreciate how important it is to get a work/life balance. I’ve also realised the impact it has had on mental health and that’s why I am leading our efforts in staff wellbeing.”

As part of the leadership team, Vikki meets daily with her colleagues to plan, progress and support a range of projects and initiatives within the company’s ten-year plan. Implementing the Star of the Month staff recognition scheme is one such initiative that Vikki is involved with, as well as leading on staff surveys to monitor and improve the company even further.

Vikki continued:

“Celebrating the successes of our staff is incredibly rewarding and I’m so pleased that Adam was awarded our first ever Turner’s Prize of Excellence which recognises an individual who has demonstrated the late Gary Turner’s most prized values: ownership, accountability and responsibility.”

Outside of work, it’s fair to say that Vikki is unbelievably busy! Alongside work and raising two teenage children, Vikki hits the gym a few times a week as well as walking Barney the family dog each day, often with friends, as there’s no healthier way to catch up. She is also a member of the Rock Choir which continued via Zoom during Lockdown; her favourite song is Hold Back the River. Vikki’s passion for music continues as she regularly attends gigs and concerts. She also has a fervent love for gardening, which includes a growing vegetable patch – given her courgettes were the size of a marrow, we think she’s doing well! And then to relax, Vikki enjoys regular family motorhome holidays and, of course, a little retail therapy and lunch with friends thrown into the mix.