Debbie Rayfield is the Corporate Apprenticeship Manager, working out of the Corporate Learning Centre in Ainsdale. She’s been recognised for her long service, with a big anniversary just around the corner...
Debbie starred in our video about the Long Service award, which you can see right here:
Thank you for your long service, Debbie – your career with the Council is about to hit the four-decade mark, is that right?
I’ve worked at Sefton Council since June 1986 – that's 39 and a half years, if my calculations are correct!
I started off working in the Planning Department. My first job was based in Vermont House in Bootle – I worked in the admin team there for approximately 13 years.
After that, a Business Support unit was brought to life and the Council was divided up into Directorates. I was taken into the main Directorate to work in the HR and Business Support unit. Some time later, that all changed again, and we went back to a corporate look within the Council, so I went into the Personnel role within Corporate Personnel!
[Finally], I moved into the Workforce Learning Development unit some nine years ago, where I was lucky enough to work with the apprenticeship programme and develop my skills there – and then move into the Corporate Apprenticeship Manager role, which is my role now. I’m enjoying my role a lot!
Going back to the late Eighties, what’s the main thing you remember from your start at Sefton?
My earliest memories of working for Sefton Council probably revolve around the social life that we had. Bearing in mind I was a 21-year-old starting work within the Council, we were quite a young workforce at the time. We’ve all stayed the course and are aging nicely!
At the time it was all about the camaraderie. You’ll hear from a lot of people that working at Sefton is about the people, and I’ve had such a great time working with lots of great people. I’ve got friends for life from my start in the Planning department – and the other departments I’ve worked in along the way. The people that work at Sefton Council are a great bunch, and you form bonds with colleagues that become friends for life.
Looking at 1986 from where we are, heading into 2026 – how have things changed?
Having worked here for so long, I think I’ve seen things go full circle! One of the biggest things for myself is that people are no longer working in isolation and in the ‘silos’ we used to work in. That was your job and you worked in that team – you didn’t understand the whole remit of the Council.
We’ve moved away from that and it’s a much more fluid place where we understand each other’s job roles and the work of the Council in general.
You must have had some really great colleagues and managers to see you through nearly 40 years of work...
Over the years, I’ve had a lot of support from my managers, who have encouraged me along the way. My current team is absolutely superb, and we’ve got a really good working relationship. A shout out to Mike Mainwaring, my current line manager in Workforce Learning – he's been very encouraging and supportive.
We had some difficult times when people have been absent long-term, and we worked closely together to bridge those gaps. I think we both did that pretty well together!
I’d like to mention Emma Finnegan as well, who was my previous direct supervisor in this role. She brought me out of HR and into Workforce Learning, which I didn’t know too much about, and showed me the ropes on apprenticeships!
And now you’ve been recognised for your years of fantastic work. How do you reflect on that, and your personal journey with Sefton Council?
It feels really great to be recognised for long service. I feel like I’ve always been an ambassador for Sefton Council as an employer – we've served each other well over the years.
Although I’m coming to the end of my working life now, I’m still enjoying what I’m doing. I work with a great bunch of people who make work not a chore at all. It’s a nice place to work, and in my role now as an Apprecticeship Manager, I’ll always encourage bringing in new blood in the way of apprentices. I’ll tell them that there are so many opportunities there from where they start. It might not be the job role they want forever, but there are the chances to move, gain new skills and go to different departments.
It’s a large organisation and the world’s your oyster, really!