
What Do You Actually Do?
By UoY Careers and Placements

What Do You Actually Do?Jan 15, 2020

Human-centred design in the cultural sector
Alyson Webb is a Director at Frankly Green + Webb, an agency specialising in human-centred design to improve digital experiences in the cultural sector.
Listen as Kate gets to the bottom of what Alyson's job looks like. They cover working in the cultural sector, digital experiences, human-centred design thinking, consultancy and more!
Alyson's bio:
Alyson has worked in the cultural sector for 30 years. As a creative director and innovation programme leader, she has helped countless museums, galleries and historic sites share their extraordinary stories with diverse audiences around the globe.
Having designed the experience and content of the world’s first-ever multimedia guide, mobile phone guide and gallery podcast, Alyson has seen first-hand how this work can change how people think, behave and see the world. Collaborating with the expertise and profound knowledge within each organisation is one of her favourite parts of every project.
Her greatest reward comes in helping teams discover new creative opportunities, express what is unique and authentic to them, and understand their audience on a new level–ultimately so everyone feels that the knowledge and beauty held in these sites is theirs to take in.
Alyson is a National Heritage Lottery Fund digital mentor.

Service Designer
Kate Every works as a Service Design Practice Lead for global digital transformation company Mastek. Service design is a really interesting area of work that's getting more and more attention.
Find out what this job actually involves and how you can get a job in this exciting area!
Kate's bio:
Kate is a Lead Service Designer specialising in inclusive and ethical design and delivery. She currently works in Service Design consultancy for global digital transformation company Mastek.
Her academic background is in Human Rights Practice, with Masters’ fieldwork and research into restorative justice and survivor-centred approaches to criminal justice. She brings this lens to her work as a human-centred designer in Government and healthcare.

Engineer at National Grid
Dan is a York graduate and works at National Grid where he completed a year in industry before becoming a Transmission Engineer.
Dan tells us what his day to day job looks like as well as what you need to know if you're thinking about a career in this area.
Dan's bio:
I am a Transmission Engineer at National Grid working on design assurance of the protection and control system. I attended York for my Undergraduate where I was given the opportunity to do a year in industry - I am a huge advocate for these schemes which I feel perfectly blend academia and industry.
Outside of work I enjoy board games, card games and table top games

Consultant in the heritage industry: helping galleries, theatres and museums
Elizabeth studied History of Art and thought she'd go into museum curation, until she discovered the amazing world of consultancy in the heritage sector! She helps museums, theatres and galleries solve problems... everything from how to boost visitor numbers to launching new learning programmes.
If you have always wanted to work in heritage and you're interested in what makes people tick, this could be the career for you.
Elizabeth's bio: I work with arts and cultural organisations helping them to understand more about the people who visit them and how to grow, engage and satisfy their audiences
Transcript and useful links on the blog.

Placement year in recruitment 🧑💼
Pretty much any student at York can do a placement year or year in industry! And right now second/middle year students can register for the programme. With that in mind, we thought it would make sense to speak to a York student just back from a year out in the world of work.
Toby studies History and spent his placement year working in recruitment for Reed. It sounded like a lot of fun. In this episode, he tells Kate what recruitment is like and why everyone, especially History students, should go for the placement year. Enjoy!
There is a full transcript and useful links on our blog.
Toby's bio:
Originally from Nottingham, I came to York to study History. I found myself unsure of what to do with my future, and figured why not apply for a placement. So I've spent the last 12 months in London, working in Recruitment, and I'm now excited to come back to university to complete my final year. While I've loved London, I've missed the greenery of the north and I'm excited to be able to go on long walks in the countryside again! London's too much of a concrete jungle for my liking!

Climate Communications Consultant
Cass is a freelance climate communications consultant in Belgium, working with NGOs, charities and ethical organisations to help them improve their communications and translate the good work they are doing into words the public and policymakers understand.
This is a fascinating conversation for anyone interested in: freelancing, working in comms and making a career in climate activism. Cass has some super interesting things to say about following your values, final year career stress and creating the job you want.
Cass graduated from York in 2019 with a degree in English Language and Linguistics. Long time listeners might remember that we spoke to Cass back in 2019 about her student internship.
Transcript and useful links on our blog.

Working in rail industry: life as an engineer at Network Rail
Lots of people want to work in the rail industry and York graduate Laura has made it happen. She is Technical Head of System Safety at Network Rail, which means it's her job to make sure the railways are safe. Get an insight into what's going on in the sector and what this kind of work is actually like.
Laura's bio:
I gained a Masters of Engineering at the University of York before starting my career in the rail industry. Over the last fifteen years I have been part of the modernisation of the industry, varying from insourcing of circa 500 staff to the safe integration of new railway stations. In my personal life I am a mother to four children and a school foundation governor.
Transcript and useful links on our blog.

Senior Estate Manager - English Heritage
For grads interested in heritage, Rebecca Thompson might just have the dream job (she describes it as 'one of the best jobs in the world'): Senior Estate Manager at English Heritage, where she cares for over 400 buildings and monuments in England.
She has lots of info to help people wanting to get into the sector, including how to network, skills shortages and the impact of climate change.
Bio: After starting in commercial construction, Rebecca followed her interest in cultural heritage and studied a Masters in Archaeology of Buildings at York. She is now Senior Estate Manager at English Heritage. She has channelled her love of historic buildings into a career making sure they are relevant and sustainable for future generations. She cares about promoting equality and diversity in the heritage sector and ensuring our craft skills are utilised so they are not lost.
Transcript and useful links on our blog.

Investigative journalist
What does an investigative journalist actually do?? Sam Bright studied History at York while running a politics blog in his spare time. He's now the UK Deputy Editor at DeSmog and has written two books. Sam tells Kate what his day looks like and shares his tips for students interested in this kind of work.
Sam's bio:
Sam Bright is a journalist and author who has written two books: Fortress London and Bullingdon Club Britain. He has worked for the BBC and has been published by the New York Times, the New Statesman, the Big Issue, VICE, the Spectator, the Yorkshire Post and others.
Transcript and useful links on our blog.

Speech and Language Therapist (SLT)
We get a lot of questions about Speech and Language Therapy careers. It's a hugely rewarding area of work where you support and care for people of all ages who have difficulties with speech, language, communication, eating, drinking and swallowing.
York graduate Jess is a Speech and Language Therapist working with adults with learning disabilities. Find out about what she does each day and how she got there.
As always, full transcript and useful links can be found on our blog.
Jess's bio:
Jess graduated as a Speech and Language Therapist in 2019 and now works as an NHS Specialist Speech and Language Therapist in an Intensive Support Team for adults with learning disabilities. Jess is also a Speech and Language Therapist for the Down Syndrome Training and Support Service.

Executive producer in TV
Want to work in the television industry? Tim Dean knows how to make it happen! He graduated from York with a degree in Social Policy and now has 20 years' experience in TV. Tim and Kate talk about how he got into the industry, why you don't need a media degree and what it's actually like producing TV every day.
Transcript and useful links on the blog.
Tim's bio:
BAFTA and RTS award winning Executive Producer with over 20 years’ experience in TV. I've run a whole array of different shows from juggernaut brands like ‘Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway’ and ‘Take Me Out’ through to chat shows such as 'Lateish with Mo Gilligan' and 'The Big Narstie Show' and created brand new formats from scratch like ‘In For A Penny'. I've worked with a range of talent from Simon Cowell and Harry Styles through to David Walliams and Kelly Rowland and love making noisy blockbuster TV filled with edge of your seat excitement and drama.

Barrister
Kate talks to York graduate Jack about training to be a barrister. Jack studied History and decided to train as a barrister after completing the Teach First Programme. Jack explains what skills you need, what he does each day and how you shouldn't be put off by thinking it isn't a career for you.
Full transcript and useful links on the blog.
Jack's bio:
Hi, I'm Jack, a graduate of the University of York and aspiring barrister. I graduated with a BA in History in 2015 and decided to pursue a career at the Bar in 2019, after completing the Teach First Programme. My route into the legal profession has (so far) involved two years of study (GDL and Bar Course), a year working for a judge at the Court of Appeal and a few months working at a litigation firm in Toronto. I will begin my pupillage (which is essentially a year-long apprenticeship) in Autumn 2023.

Imposter syndrome: how to deal with it in university, work and everyday life
Something a bit different in this episode - Kate speaks to two Uni of York colleagues about imposter syndrome. What is it? Why does it happen? How can you deal with it? What support is out there for you?
In Careers we hear a lot of students mentioning impostor syndrome in relation to their studies and career planning. We also hear it from graduates - and it's come up on the podcast a lot! - so we thought it was time we addressed it head on. Feeling like a fraud and doubting your skills and talents is really common, but don't let it hold you back. In this episode Kate, Jo and Gemma give their top tips and personal experience about improving wellbeing.
Jo Hardy is Student Wellbeing Programme Manager and Gemma Cormican is a Mental Health Practitioner in the Open Door team.
There's a transcript on our blog.
Need some help with this? Check the Student Wellbeing pages or come speak to us in Careers if it's affecting your career planning.

Digital archaeologist and entrepreneur
Bethany is a York graduate and director of Experience Heritage, where she uses her expertise in archaeology and interest in digital storytelling to bring history to live in innovative ways. That could mean augmented reality experiences, interactive heritage apps and digital animation.
Bethany tells us how she started her own company after realising there was a gap in the market where she could combine her interests in archaeology and storytelling.
There's a full transcript and useful links on our blog.
Bethany's bio: Bethany is a digital archaeologist and entrepreneur. She has studied film, archaeology and digital heritage and began Experience Heritage in 2018 after receiving her Masters with distinction from University of York. She's passionate about bringing history to life and making heritage more accessible for more people.

Running a startup
Interested in startups or working for yourself? That's what this episode is all about. Toby Cannon graduated from York in 2019 with a degree in Computer Science. He now runs Myles, a startup that began as an app allowing people to complete virtual challenges by tracking their fitness activity. He explains what his day looks like, what it takes to work in a startup and what students can do to follow in his footsteps.
There's a full transcript and useful links on our blog.
Toby's bio:
After graduating in 2019 Toby joined Capital One as a Software Development Engineer, working on a range of products which are used by millions of people. At the start of the pandemic, he launched Myles initially as a tool to keep himself and his family motivated with their fitness goals. The company has grown since then and he's now full time on the business and is part of a team of four, with clients including Dell, Brewin Dolphin and Capital One.

Placement Year in the NHS
Vinusha is a York History student who completed a placement year in the NHS Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group as a Quality and Safeguarding Support Officer. Vinusha explains what she got out of her placement and has tips for current students starting their placement or work experience search.
Full transcript and useful links on our blog.
Vinusha's bio:
I am currently a History undergraduate student who is completing a placement year at the NHS Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group. Although my degree and the NHS may not appear to have a direct link, I have an interest to work in the public sector, in particular social services. I also have a passion for Arts and Humanities which is why I have a chosen to complete a History degree.

Journalism researcher at the BBC
Want a job in research? Or interested in working in the media? This episode is for you. Today Kate talks to Lucy, York grad and current Journalism Researcher at BBC News, about what her job is actually like.
There's a full transcript and useful links on our blog.
Lucy's Bio:
Lucy is a Journalism Researcher at BBC News, specialising in home and social affairs. Before joining the BBC, she worked as a Research Assistant at a policy think tank in Cambridge. After graduating from York in 2017 with a degree in English and History, Lucy spent a year in China and shortly afterwards studied for a master's degree in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge.

Life as a CEO: running Cafédirect
Think you want to be a CEO? Interested in marketing, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) or the world of ethical business? This episode is for you. John Steel is the CEO of Cafédirect and has worked his way up through a number of FMCG businesses after beginning his career in a marketing grad scheme.
Even if you're not interested in this area of work, it's worth listening for John's insights into finding value in your working life.
Find a transcript and useful links on our blog.
More about John and Cafédirect:
Cafédirect’s CEO, John Steel, is a business leader and social entrepreneur with a passion for making business a force for good.
Under John’s leadership Cafedirect has returned to growth, become profitable and yet maintained its sustainability commitments to its producers.
John is determined that Cafédirect, as one of the UK’s pre-eminent Social Enterprises, plays a pivotal role in leading the change agenda. In 2018 Cafédirect became the 1st coffee company in the UK to be B Corp certified and was recognised as the Social Enterprise of the Year.
John Steel first pursued a career in marketing, with organisations such as Nestle and Weetabix. Subsequently John held leadership positions in both large corporations and start-up businesses.
John is a passionate and genuine believer in the need for real change in the way business contributes to society and the wider world. He works tirelessly to share Cafédirect’s unique approach.

Financial services
Ben graduated from York with a degree in Philosophy and after a few years found himself working in the financial services sector for Deloitte. It wasn't something he planned. In the episode Ben explains how his first impressions of the sector were wrong, how you don't need a 'big summer internship' to get into finance and how he's found a job that's a perfect fit for his strengths and skills. His job title is Associate Director - Global Mobility (Tax).
Ben's bio: I'm a Philosophy graduate who has quite accidentally ended up working in Financial Services. It's an industry I didn't expect to enjoy working in - I couldn't be happier to have been wrong about that. In my role, I help people making international moves (and their employers) understand the tax implications of doing so.
Find useful links and a full transcript on our blog.

Working in international development
This episode is for anyone interested in international development or the humanitarian sector. Rob Simmons works in Somalia for Committed to Good and was speaking to Kate from a shipping container at the airport in Mogadishu. Rob tells us what you need to get into this kind of work, the best bits and the worst bits. He also shares his advice on how students can approach people working in the sector.
There's a full transcript and useful links on our blog.
Rob's bio:
Rob completed a master's degree in Post-war Recovery Studies at York and now works in Somalia as the Deputy Country Manager for Committed to Good, providing services to the United Nations to help them deliver their projects in high-risk areas. Before that he worked in Mine Action in Sri Lanka and Cambodia. Before studying at York, Rob spent 12 years in the British Army.

Student Internship Bureau special
Did you know that each summer loads of York students do an internship through the Student Internship Bureau (SIB)? SIB advertises paid, project-based internships in and around York that are exclusively for York students.
In this episode Kate talks to Ashley, an Interactive Media student who recently completed an internship as a graphic designer at Experience Heritage. She talks about what it's like being an intern and the skills she learned. If you're an international student you'll be especially interested to hear Ashley's advice.
Interested in doing your own internship this summer? Vacancies are live right now! Find out more and browse the internships on our SIB webpage.
Ashley's bio: Ashley is an international student from Singapore with a deep passion for digital art and design, currently taking York's Interactive Media degree. She enjoys getting involved in the creative scene, be it through internships, York Creatives' events or being part of the HARD Magazine Committee.
There's a full transcript and useful links on our blog.

What do you actually do if you're graduating in a global pandemic?!: 2022 edition
The worst of the pandemic might (hopefully) be behind us but the world of work has permanently changed because of Covid-19.
Remote working is here to stay for many people and some sectors hit hard by the pandemic are still to properly recover. For our students, you may have had fewer chances to build up work experience. What does all this mean for your graduate job search?
In this episode we hear Kate and Enrico Reuter, lecturer in public and social policy, reflect on this and answer questions from York students. They also listen back to highlights from past podcast episodes.
We released Part 1 of this podcast back in summer 2020.
Full transcript and useful links on our blog.
In this episode you hear clips from:
A career in corporate social responsibility, with Daniel Arda
Working in heritage, with Paul Backhouse
From TV to tech, with Vivien Chung
Talking census: a career in genealogy, with Christina Copland
Changing fast: working in agile project management, with Alison Critchley
Starting a Startup, with Phil Daneshyar
Running an advertising firm, with Luke D’Arcy
Placement year in a political think tank, with Andrew Gloag
Marketing in the museum, with Tasha McNaught
Making a splash, with Tom Pagett
How to make a portfolio career work, with Dan Rutstein
Flirting with Algorithms, with Harpal Sahota
Training to be a lawyer, with Alex Stewart-Moreno
Changing careers: switching heritage for accounting, with Alice Yevko

Environmental Consultant
Kadi is an environmental consultant who coordinates and project manages the environmental inputs for big infrastructure projects. She's also a York Environmental Science graduate. In this episode Kadi and Kate talk about what she does each day, the parts of the job she likes the most, and what York students interested in environmental consulting can do right now to prepare for their future careers.
Find a full transcript and useful links on our blog.
Kadi's bio:
Kadi is an Environmental Consultant at Jacobs with three years' experience in coordinating environmental inputs for infrastructure projects. She has worked on road, rail, waste water and flood alleviation projects for private and public sector clients. In addition to technical environmental elements from air quality to land contamination, her role includes project management such as managing budgets, programme, resources and risks. She is passionate about connecting people through employee networks, STEM and a book club. Kadi graduated from York in 2018 with a MEnv in Environmental Science with a Year in Industry.

University widening participation officer
Interested in a non-academic job in higher education? In this episode Kate talks to Victoria Brooks about her job as Widening Participation and Outreach Project Officer at the University of Liverpool. This is a really interesting area of higher education work. Read the blog for a transcript and some useful links.
Victoria's bio:
Victoria is currently working at a Russell Group University in Widening Participation, where she supports groups of young people from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds into higher education. She has experience in research and evaluation around the topic as well as planning and delivering large scale events for a wide range of stakeholders.

Engineer - European Space Agency
Neil studied Physics with Philosophy at York and has been working at the European Space Agency since 2002. His full job title is Parabolic Flight and Drop Tower Coordinator and Payload Systems Engineer. Listen to the episode to find out more about exactly what he does, how he managed to get the job and his advice for students wanting a similar career. The transcript and useful links are on our blog.
Want some help researching this career area? Come see us in the Careers and Placements building on Campus West or book an appointment.
Neil's bio:
After graduating with an MPhys in 2002 I joined ESA as a trainee in their Education Office. I learnt Systems Engineering and Team Management via a series of intense, hands-on projects. Head-hunted for a staff post in the Human and Robotic Exploration Directorate in 2008, I now develop payloads for various missions (including the International Space Station), and run ESA's Parabolic Flight Programme.

Prison Officer (Unlocked Graduate scheme)
In this episode Kate talks to Dan, a York graduate working as a prison officer on the Unlocked grad scheme. Find related links and a transcript of this episode on our blog.
Dan's bio:
Dan is a 2019 graduate from the University of York and currently a band three prison officer in a category B local remand men’s prison.
He was placed and supported by Unlocked Graduates, a graduate leadership development programme that 'recruits outstanding graduates and career changers to become exceptional prison officers.' It offers a fully funded and tailored MSc to graduates on the programme.
Dan works with some of the most vulnerable people in society with the aim of reducing recidivism rates and creating long lasting change in our criminal justice system.

Thanks for listening this autumn - here's what's coming up in Spring term
Thanks for listening this autumn. Here's a preview of what's coming up in Spring Term. If you haven't already, follow us on your chosen podcast platform so you don't miss them.
In the meantime, enjoy your vacation. If you're planning to do some career research or job hunting during the break, don't forget that the podcast is one of many resources you can access as a University of York Student. Visit our webpages to get started: york.ac.uk/careers.
Sound effects used in this episode:
jinglebellslong.wav by NoiseCollector is licensed under CC BY 3.0
Scratch speed.wav by Racche is licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sleigh bells sound effect by Gowler Music is licensed under CC BY 3.0

Management Consultant
Management consultancy is always a popular job area with our students, but do you actually know what the job is like? Today Kate chats to Jo Auger about what she does all day, the skills she uses, and the best and worst bits.
Jo has been a Management Consultant since graduating in 2006. She started her career on Capgemini's graduate scheme, moved to EY in 2015 and has been at Gate One since 2020. In the past 15 years she has worked for a number of clients across multiple sectors and now balances a full time career in consulting with raising her two young sons.
Find useful links and a full transcript of the episode on our blog.

Film composer
Attention music students! In this episode Benji Merrison explains how he created a career for himself as a composer for film and television after graduating from York. He takes us through what his job is like day-to-day and how he got there.
Benji Merrison is an award winning composer providing bespoke music for Film and Television. He has devoted his life to music. He was recognised at a very young age as a prodigious talent, both as a performer and composer, and went on to obtain a BA (Hons) in Music and an MSc in Music Technology from the University of York. He also studied Jazz Piano with Howard Riley at Goldsmiths University.
After his studies he settled in London to embark on his career as a full time composer in 2001.
Find a full transcript and some useful links on our blog.

Aldi Graduate Area Manager Programme
The Aldi grad scheme has a reputation for being challenging, giving its grads a lot of responsibility and having great benefits. After 15 weeks on the scheme you'll be put in charge of a store and after a year you'll be an Area Manager. In this episode Heather Wilkinson tells us about how she got on the scheme and what it's actually like.
Heather spent five years as an Area Manager with Aldi after going through the Aldi Graduate Area Manager Programme. In that time she managed five stores and was responsible for around 150 employees. She graduated with a degree in History and recently started a new role as Operations Manager at Amazon.
Find useful links and a full transcript of this episode on our blog.

Civil Service Fast Stream
The Civil Service Fast Stream is one of the most popular grad schemes in the country and the Times Top 100 number 1 graduate employer. In this episode, Kate talks to Will Simpson, a current Fast Streamer, about what he actually does all day, the best and worst bits, and his advice for students applying to the scheme.
Will graduated from York in 2020 with a BA in Politics and is currently on the Civil Service Fast Stream in the HR scheme. He’s based in the Department for Work and Pensions.
Check out some useful links related to this episode and a full transcript on our blog.

Six key questions you need to know the answers to if you’re graduating in 2021
To celebrate graduation week here in York we have a special episode covering the key things you need to know about graduating in 2021 in the middle of a global pandemic.
We cover how to start a new job from home, what to do if Covid stopped you from getting work experience, how to future-proof your career, and more!
We listen back to podcast highlights from our year of lockdown episodes and Kate chats to Dr Enrico Reuter, Lecturer in Public and Social Policy, about exactly what’s going on in the job market at the moment.
In the episode you heard clips from:
Find a transcript and useful links on our blog.

That's it for another season - but stay tuned for a graduation special in August!
Thanks for listening this term. We'll be back later in the summer with a special graduation episode for those of you leaving York this year. In the meantime, follow us/subscribe on your chosen podcast platform so you don't miss it. You can listen back to the rest of our episodes and find more resources to help your career planning on the Careers and Placements website including our support for students finishing their studies this year.

Training to be a lawyer, with Alex Stewart-Moreno
Alex graduated from York a couple of years ago. He studied Law and is now a trainee at Norton Rose Fulbright. He tells us about the reality of being a trainee, the best and worse bits, and what it’s like doing your training from home during a pandemic. He has some good tips for future trainees.
Alex is a trainee solicitor in the Project Finance Team of Norton Rose Fulbright's Banking Department. He works on transactions for the financing and construction of projects in the energy, infrastructure, and natural resources sectors in a range of jurisdictions.
Want to find out more? Find useful links and a full transcript on our blog.

How to make a portfolio career work
Our guest today is Dan Rutstein, whose career history is proof that you definitely don’t have to pick one job and stick to it. Dan graduated from York and his career (so far) has included journalism, diplomacy, consultancy and podcasting. Kate and Dan talk about taking opportunities, transferable skills, the importance of networking and how to make a ‘portfolio career’ work.
Dan's first career was as a journalist, a news reporter at the York Evening Press before working in sport at the Bradford Telegraph & Argus and then Bermuda's Royal Gazette. He then joined the British Government, working in London for the transport and business departments before serving abroad as a diplomat in Germany and Los Angeles. He was President of immersive technology company Laduma before being laid off during the pandemic. He now works as a consultant with Orange County Soccer Club, helping them with their international expansion. He hosts three podcasts - United States of Dramerica, Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss and America the Beautiful Game.
Want to find out more? Find useful links and a full transcript on our blog.

Changing careers: switching heritage for accounting, with Alice Yevko
When you’re looking for your first job after graduation it can sometimes feel like you’re picking a career for life, but that’s far from true. In this episode we chat to York grad Alice who started working in the heritage sector before switching to accounting.
Alice is a year 1 trainee chartered accountant at Godfrey Wilson Limited, a small, charity-specialist practice. Her day-to-day brings her into contact with a wide variety of clients in the charity sector and accountancy assignments. She is also undertaking the ACA, the qualification for ICAEW chartered accountants. Alice is a History graduate. Prior to this, she learned about the medieval world through the MA in Medieval Studies at the University of York, and worked as a partnerships and impact administrator at the Centre for the Study of Christianity & Culture.
Want to find out more? Find useful links and a full transcript on our blog.

Working in heritage: In the archive in lockdown
We’re back for a new season! In this episode Kate talks to Paul Backhouse, Head of the Historic England Archive. They cover tech skills in the heritage sector, imposter syndrome, the pandemic and a lot more.
Paul is an archaeologist at heart, whose accidental career has spanned roles in graphics, publications, survey, archive, IT and telecoms. His projects include the complete 3D laser-scan survey of Stonehenge, the creation of an exhibition in Da Ming, China on the Archaeology of the Silk Road. The project he is most proud of, is his contribution to the excavation and identification of 400 First World War soldiers killed in the Battle of Fromelles in the Somme, France.
Want to find out more? Find useful links and a full transcript on our blog.

Changing fast: working in agile project management, with Alison Critchley
After graduating from York in 2011, Alison started her working life in account management before taking a short career break to figure out what she actually wanted to do. She now works for the Co-op's start up Health business in Manchester as a Technology Delivery Manager but has done a variety of roles in 5 years with Co-op. She is also a Big Sister for the Girls Out Loud mentoring programme.
Alison and Kate talk about changing careers shortly after graduation and the skills you need to work in agile project management.
Find a full transcript and the links mentioned in this episode on our blog.

English grad to junior doctor: Graduate medicine and beyond, with Ian Henderson
Ian is an Academic Clinical Fellow and junior doctor in Obstetrics & Gynaecology. After graduating in English during the 2008 credit crunch, he pursued Graduate Entry Medicine and an MSc in Global Health Science. He divides his time between clinical work and research into complications of pregnancy.
Find a full transcript and the links mentioned in this episode on our blog.

Running an advertising firm, with Luke D'Arcy
Luke is President at Momentum Worldwide, the most awarded global experiential agency in the world. With offices in over 30 countries the agency works for clients such as Samsung, Verizon, American Express, Microsoft, Coca Cola and Nike. He is a Harvard Business School alumni and has previously worked across numerous global marketing networks as well as client side for Richard Branson leading the launch of the Formula One team at Virgin. Outside of work he juggles 5 kids and tries desperately to find time to keep fit.
This episode is essential listening not just for students interested in breaking into the advertising industry, but for anyone wanting to work in a position of leadership. Luke tells Kate about his career journey, what he does every day, and what he looks for when recruiting new graduates.
Find a full transcript and the links mentioned in this episode on our blog.

Exploring clinical science, with John Filby
John is a clinical scientist at Congenica, a digital health company specialising in genomic medicine. Before that he worked in the genomics service in the NHS and completed the NHS Scientist Training Programme. He graduated from York in 2012. In this episode, John and Kate talk about the opportunities in clinical sciences, his tips for current students, and how the pandemic has changed his working day.
Find a full transcript and the links mentioned in this episode on our blog.

Talking census: a career in genealogy, with Christina Copland
Christina works for the family history company Ancestry, where she researches client families in the U.S, Canada, U.K, Ireland and the Caribbean. She gained a PhD in History from the University of Southern California in 2018, and before that an MA in Modern History from the University of York. Her research focused on the relationship between capitalism, education and fundamentalist Christianity in 20th century Los Angeles.
Find a full transcript and the links mentioned in the episode on our blog.

Leading innovation in the legal sector, with Alexander Malt
Alex is the Innovation Manager at Norton Rose Fulbright’s Newcastle Hub, where he works at the forefront of technological innovation in the legal sector. He graduated with a PhD in Philosophy, with overlapping interests in linguistics, cognitive science and economics. In this episode, Alex and Kate talk about what exactly he does each day, how he got the job and how his PhD helped him.
Find the links mentioned in this episode on our blog.

Making a splash, with Tom Pagett
Tom has worked at the Environment Agency for the last 10 years, in a range of roles from planning to environmental regulation, flood risk, and biodiversity. He is currently managing the largest river restoration project in the North, creating new habitat and re-naturalising the River Derwent, one of the most important lowland rivers in Europe.
Find the links mentioned in this episode and a full transcript on our blog.

From TV to tech, with Vivien Chung
Vivien graduated from York with a degree in English and Education, and spent three years working in the TV industry at institutions like the BBC before deciding she wanted a career change. Four years later, she now works in the business technology industry, managing complex systems implementations for companies in the retail, manufacturing and service sectors to enable them to refine and better their business processes.
Find the links mentioned in this episode and a full transcript on our blog.

Life as a social worker, with Bethany Pease
Bethany graduated from York three years ago with a degree in Social Work. She now works in the fostering team in a local authority, and previously worked in child protection. In this episode Bethany and Kate talk about what the job is like, the key skills you need and tips for getting into the sector.
Find the links mentioned in this episode and a full transcript on our blog.

A career in corporate social responsibility, with Daniel Arda
Daniel is Sustainability Assistant Manager at Grant Thornton UK LLP. During six years in professional services, he has inspired colleagues to get involved with initiatives aligned around education, employability and enterprise as well as the environment, mental health and microfinance. Prior to that he spent seven years in the charity sector, primarily in internal communications. Daniel graduated with a BA in English (European) and MA in American Literature and Culture (European) at the University of Leeds. He is currently an Executive MBA candidate at Cranfield School of Management.
Find the links mentioned in this episode and a full transcript on our blog.

What do you actually do if you're graduating in a global pandemic?!, with Tom Banham
Today's episode of What Do You Actually Do!? is a bit different. Recorded during the lockdown, Kate and Tom, Director of Employability and Careers at the University of York, chat about what it's going to be like for graduates going into the job market in the middle of a global pandemic. They look at how the job market was hit in previous recessions and what might be different this time.
Find all links mentioned in the episode, plus a transcript, on our blog: https://yorkcareers.wordpress.com/2020/06/17/what-do-you-actually-do-episode-29-tom-banham-director-of-employability-and-careers/

Making Medicine, with Tom Ronson
Tom works as a process development chemist at the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. He is part of the Chemical Development department, which is responsible for developing efficient and robust manufacturing processes for active pharmaceutical ingredients. He holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of York.

Flirting with Algorithms, with Harpal Sahota
Harpal Sahota is a data scientist at MagicLab, who operate a number of dating apps, including Bumble & Lumen. He studied an MA in Computational Biology at the University of York, and went on to take a PhD in Computational Biology at University of London, before entering the job market, working for the likes of YouGov before settling at MagicLab, where he has worked since January 2020.