Ex-pilot Keith is flying high in his new role
A former pilot based at Paisley’s airport is one of hundreds of contract tracers working to keep people safe throughout the pandemic.
Keith Sivell worked as a pilot for Flybe at Glasgow Airport before being made redundant due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He is now part of a 250 strong team of contact tracers, 19 team leaders and two service delivery managers.
The team - which is made up of people who worked in other industries prior to the pandemic - also includes 40 members of existing NHS staff who have been reassigned to Test and Protect.
The service has been running since March last year and was established by Public Health and Human Resources.
All positive results come to the team, who need to contact the ‘index case’ within 24 hours.
The purpose of the call is to understand who the person’s close contacts are and where they have been during their infectious period.
They are given advice on selfisolation, while always taking their own personal circumstances into consideration.
If needed, they are also offered financial or emotional wellbeing support.
Keith, 36, took up his role in September after Flybe went bust.
He said: “All my flights were short haul domestic ones to cities such as Southampton and Birmingham.
“As well as being a pilot, I also managed the Glasgow team.
“Almost immediately after lockdown, I joined the R&R Hub at Gartnavel – something I found really fulfilling.
“While we were there to support NHS staff going through an incredibly difficult time, it also helped me enormously.
“I had just lost my job, was worried about the industry and found myself helping the NHS in a pandemic.
“The therapy worked both ways. I would find myself chatting to staff and even some of the psychologists on an informal basis and I think we all benefited from it.
“I was giving and getting a lot back.” He soon found many of his skills in his former role as a pilot and manager helped him transition to his new job.
Keith added: “Right away I was able to use my skills from being a pilot and a manager in my new role.
“Listening, working my way through operating plans, managing. These were all my transferable skills, so it was an easy transition.
“As a pilot, you also need to manage stress – both your own and others.
“The skills you pick up talking to passengers – perhaps when they are delayed – is a skill you can use in this job.
“Most people we speak to are fine about being asked to self-isolate, but some are not and my past job helps me speak to them about what is worrying them, be it money, family or whatever.
“The world doesn’t need pilots just now.
“It does need people to support the efforts in stopping the spread of Covid-19.
“I’m very happy that I can play my part with this.”