Vocational Qualifications, Online Courses, Coaching, Personal and Professional Development
Our Team
Jane Hyde-Walsh
Director
With nearly 25 years of unwavering commitment to the adult education sector, Jane Hyde-Walsh has been a stalwart in providing training and professional development in management, leadership, business skills, and education. She founded and has built Aim Higher Training, on the pillars of professionalism, quality, integrity, and honesty, all fueled by a fervent mission to equip others with essential personal and professional knowledge and skills.
Jane has successfully designed and delivered a wide range of vocational qualifications, apprenticeships, and bespoke training programmes through Aim Higher Training. Under her guidance, over 2,500 students have achieved great results that have enhanced their professional development and career prospects.
Before launching Aim Higher, Jane held various senior management and leadership roles across public and private organisations. As a long-standing member of the Society of Education and Training, she firmly believes that effective training inspires individuals to perform better and increases overall business productivity.
Jane lives in Devon with her husband and her spaniel Darcy. When she’s not transforming lives through exceptional training, she enjoys her hobbies, which include reading, writing, walking, socialising with friends, listening to music, and travelling.
To discuss training opportunities with Jane, please email her at [email protected]
Associates
At Aim Higher Training, we are proud to work with a group of well-qualified and highly experienced assessors and trainers who have many years of experience in their specialist occupational areas. They are all committed to working to the highest quality standards and are committed to their continuous professional development.
We are always looking to work with education professionals, so please get in touch with [email protected] if you feel your qualifications and experience would be a good match with our approach to delivering great quality work-based education at Aim Higher Training.
Joanna White
Business Leadership & Performance Coach
Joanna is an experienced business leader and performance coach with over 15 years of expertise helping senior leaders and organisations navigate transformation with clarity, confidence, and measurable results.
She works with leaders and teams facing growth, change, or disruption — supporting them to align strategy, optimise performance, and lead change that delivers real impact. Her approach blends proven coaching frameworks, including the GROW model, with practical transformation tools such as design thinking and innovation strategy, bridging the gap between insight and execution.
Increasingly, Joanna supports leaders in integrating AI in ways that enhance human capability, helping them cut through complexity and make better, faster decisions. Clients value her ability to challenge constructively, build trust quickly, and translate complex ideas into clear, actionable strategies.
Joanna works as an End Point Assessor with the Chartered Management Institute and brings additional depth from roles spanning quality leadership, performance coaching, and operations management across the apprenticeships and learning sectors.
Kirsty Gaunt
Learning & Organisational Development Consultant
Kirsty is an experienced Learning & Organisational Development Consultant specialising in diagnosing organisational challenges and designing tailored interventions that drive performance, cultural change, and sustainable growth.
As a strategic learning architect, Kirsty has a proven track record of building and implementing organisation-wide learning strategies aligned to corporate goals, alongside comprehensive leadership development programmes that unlock high-potential talent. Her work in employee engagement has consistently delivered measurable improvements in retention and performance, achievements recognised when she was named an Inspirational Leader in 2020 on the global platform Inspiring Workplaces, and when she led Anabas to the finals of the Employee Engagement Awards in both 2021 and 2022.
Kirsty also brings deep expertise in assessment and verification, having worked with The Open University for over nine years across a range of professional qualifications, and serving as an Associate IQA with AIM Qualifications and Assessment Group.
Ian Curtis
Internal Quality Assurer
Ian Curtis is a qualified and experienced Internal Quality Assurer (verifier) and assessor in further education. Though retired, he remains active, assisting Aim Higher Training and Development as Lead IQA to deliver professional, safe, and reliable qualifications across various fields.
With an extensive background spanning engineering, retail, hospitality, customer service, security, facilities management, health and safety, and training and education, Ian brings a wealth of practical knowledge, understanding, and competence to his current role. He ensures compliance with all protocols and procedures required by awarding bodies and legal requirements.
Beyond his work at Aim Higher, Ian remains engaged in the community, carrying out monthly health and safety briefings, passenger handling duties, and first responder cover for pleasure flying experiences at Goodwood Airfield. He has also been a passionate participant and coach in Rugby Union and an active athlete in weight training, athletics, and judo. Ian’s diverse experiences and continued involvement highlight his dedication to professional development and lifelong learning.