Cathy Tringham

About you

I am the Group Quality Assurance Manager at Wagstaff Cranbourne Pty Ltd.

Why did you join the BRCGS Professional Programme?

I wanted to ensure that I had the skills to implement and manage the product safety system required in Version 8 of the BRC Global Standard at our company sites. I also wanted to develop my personal skills and abilities to be the most professional and effective Quality Assurance Manager I can be.

What value do you personally feel the BRCGS Professional certification brings to you?

The certification confirms my skills in product safety and risk management and provides recognition for the work I put in to achieve BRCGS Professional certification. It also demonstrates my knowledge of the systems and expectations of any GFSI-recognised standard that I may need to manage, and BRCGS Professional certification is accepted globally as a high standard of personal development.

How has/will the recognition programme impacted your work?

I hope that our customers will see participation in this programme as evidence of our commitment to product safety as we expand and develop our global supply chain. I also hope it will have a positive effect on my colleagues by encouraging them to participate in the course themselves and motivate our staff by showing that the company is investing in the future.

Would you have completed the component courses anyway?

I would have completed the Version 8 conversion course. The other components would have come later.

How did you get to your current role?

I worked as a Technical Manager for a large UK meat company for many years and was actually working there when the first BRC Standard was introduced in 1998.

I moved to Australia in 2014 to work for a traditional meat company that was beginning to develop global markets and wanted to adopt GFSI standards.

What is your educational background?

I do not have a degree, as I entered the food industry later in life. I hold a Diploma in Meat and Other Food Inspection, I am an IRCA Certified Lead Auditor, have an Advanced Certificate in HACCP Principles, am an IEMA Certified Environmental Auditor, a qualified Animal Welfare Officer, and now a BRCGS Professional.

What are your career ambitions/aims?

I am now 60 years old, so my aim is to pass my knowledge and experience on to members of my QA team and encourage them to advance into Safety Management roles through education and certified courses such as this.

I want them to see that it is never too late to invest in your future and continue developing your skills.