With a career spanning continents and cultures, Liz Thrussell brings a wealth of experience and empathy to her role as a workplace assessor at Club Active. Originally trained in the UK and having worked in the Middle East, Liz has always been drawn to the structure and transformative power of vocational qualifications. Since becoming a registered assessor with Te Mahi Ako in 2021, she’s been committed to unlocking the potential in every learner.

For Liz, assessment is more than a process - it’s a journey of growth. She sees her role as translating her own experience into meaningful support, guiding learners through formative feedback and tailored pathways. At Club Active, she’s helped build a robust assessment environment, collaborating with managers to ensure learners are well-prepared and supported through inductions, training schedules, and documentation.

Her impact is deeply personal. One standout moment was supporting a learner with learning differences through to qualification completion - a milestone that boosted his confidence and celebrated his strengths. Liz’s approach, inspired by the “bamboo scaffolding” concept from Te Mahi Ako, emphasises flexible yet strong support systems.

Collaboration is central to her practice. Working closely with her manager Gillian, Liz ensures that every learner’s journey is a shared effort between the assessor, the workplace, and the learner. Her advice to aspiring assessors - stay open-minded, proactive, and always focus on enhancing the learner experience. Feedback, she says, is king, for learners and assessors alike.

Liz’s work has strengthened ties between Te Mahi Ako, Club Active, and trainees, improving qualification outcomes and fostering professional development. For her, being an assessor is an evolving role - one that lifts industry standards by helping learners thrive.