Over 18 years, Sheila Gibbin worked her way from clerical department to chief executive of Bells Training. Christen Pears meets an award-winning Woman of Achievement who still has a passion for business.

BEING named Woman of Achievement at last year's Women in Business Awards came as something of a surprise for Sheila Gibbin. In fact, she had no idea she had been nominated by her boss, Steven Bell, managing director of Bells Stores.

"The first I knew about it was when I saw my name on a list of nominees for the training award. It was quite a surprise. It was even more of a surprise when I won - and then I won Woman of Achievement. I was stunned. It makes you feel as if you've made a difference and that's what it's all about," she says.

As chief executive of Bells Training, the training division of North-East-based Bells Stores, Mrs Gibbin has certainly made a difference. Colleagues described her as an exemplary role model, while judges praised her drive, ambition, commitment and high standards.

She shrugs off the praise. "It just happens to be an area I love. I work with a brilliant team and Bells is a wonderful company."

It must be - Mrs Gibbin has been there 18 years since joining the clerical department and working her way up through the ranks. During that time, she has been instrumental in the development of the human resources department, as well as Bells Training. When she won the award, she had just been appointed to her current post, following a stint as human resources director.

Her career before Bells was varied. She started work at Binns in Middlesbrough at 16, worked for Fine Fayre and managed a betting shop. She even worked part-time as a florist when her son and daughter were growing up, all of which she says has been invaluable experience.

Bells Training is a government-led organisation that provides staff with appropriate retail qualifications. Mrs Gibbin is constantly involving the company in new initiatives, improving the range and quality of training. It has been a typically busy year for both her and Bells, which was taken over by Sainsbury's in February. The company has just achieved Investors in People for the fourth time and has been working on a national level with Skillsmart, the sector skills council.

Bells is heavily involved in the Government's Skills For Life Strategy and is looking at becoming a national centre for the delivery of basic skills tests. Several people in the company have volunteered for a pilot scheme and, says Mrs Gibbin, have been "quite amazed" at how much they have learned in a short space of time.

She is currently studying for a Skills For Life qualification herself, a professional development course for leaders and managers to help them improve the way they integrate Skills For Life into their training programmes.

Mrs Gibbin has also been working with the Learning and Skills Council to provide access to NVQs to people over the age of 25. She says: "Because Bells is made up of a lot of women returners, working part-time hours, they wouldn't normally contemplate doing a qualification but this allows them to try it out. They do three units and, if they're happy with that, they go on to do a full NVQ."

She's also a regional judge for the National Training Awards and is involved in a local initiative launched by Bells and Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon to help the long-term unemployed get back into retail through a till training programme.

"I'm a bit of a shaper. I'm always looking to get involved in new things because I have such a passion for it, but Bells is a very passionate company right from the top. They're passionate about people and people's development and it's very exciting to be involved in that."

But her interest extends beyond Bells and she wants to share her experience with other women. There is still a glass ceiling in business, she says, and although it's possible to break through, not everyone knows how to do it.

She says: "Winning the award was brilliant but I'd have liked more opportunity to help other women in business. I think it would have been a good if I'd been asked to talk to women who are just starting out because I've been there and done that. I know what the pitfalls are. It would have been nice to take things forward and get the message out."