Join jobs.ac.uk as we gather sector professionals from across further and higher education to answer your questions, with our new series ‘Ask a Professional’.
This Q&A series will provide first-hand insight into the world of academia and professional services. Answering your burning questions specific to each role and institution.
Learn about what it takes to start in these roles, what an average day looks like, the skills needed to thrive, resources, stories and more.
Upcoming Q&A
The next Ask a Professional features Gabe Manthorp, Assistant Director at Newham College London.
Ask Gabe about managing people, career progression, what it is like to work in FE, the intersection of HE and FE, and more!
Questions are open from 9 am on September 22nd to 12 pm on September 26th.
Ask an FE Leader – Gabe Manthorp
Gabe Manthorp is the Assistant Director of Higher Education at Newham College London.
He is an internationally produced playwright with an MA in writing and a background in the creative and leisure industries.
Gabe has worked in FE, HE, and skills for over a decade, including current roles as Assistant Director: HE at Newham College; Quality and Standards Assessor with the OfS; and a range of consultancy and advisory positions across the sector.
Ask a PhD Supervisor – Iain Jackson
Iain Jackson is Professor of Architecture and Research Director at the Liverpool School of Architecture, spanning over 15 years of tenure at the University of Liverpool.
He writes on ‘the mechanics of research’ and guides students and researchers to develop the tools required to complete their projects. He also aims to help researchers, writers, and PhD students achieve their research ambitions and become great researchers and writers.
Ask a Scientist – Katie Sharrocks
Katie Sharrocks is a postdoctoral researcher at the Francis Crick Institute in London. She currently works on a project as part of a Crick-AstraZeneca alliance collaboration scheme, using single-molecule super-resolution microscopy to investigate Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor di/oligomerization in lung cancer.
Katie is passionate about communicating science in an accessible way so that as many people as possible have access to science and understand its significance in daily life.
Ask a Recruitment Specialist – Lucy Wide
Lucy joined the University of Derby in December 2022 as a Recruitment Assistant. In November 2023, she was promoted to her current role as Recruitment Specialist.
Before joining the University of Derby, Lucy studied Psychology at the University of Lincoln. After graduating, she began her career in recruitment, working for a care organisation for a couple of years. Seeking a new challenge and clearer opportunities for career development, she made the move to the University of Derby.
Ask a Lecturer – Christopher Strelluf
Christopher joined the University of Warwick as an assistant professor of linguistics in 2017 and is currently an associate professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in Applied Linguistics.
Christopher is a sociolinguist with experience in the UK and US academic systems at undergraduate and graduate levels. Previous roles include assistant professor, visiting lecturer, and graduate teaching assistant. He was also previously an officer in the United States Army and is a current Senior Fellow of Advance HE.