Career Zone Podcast

Working in Higher Education: In conversation with Layal Hakim, Associate Professor

Layal Hakim is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Exeter. Layal grew up in a large family of 8 children from a low-income, ethnic minority background. During her teens, Layal was educated for short periods in Lebanon. This changed the course of her direction academically.

Layal graduated from Brunel University in 2010 with a BSc in Mathematics. In October 2010, she started a PhD, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Her thesis titled 'Numerical Analysis of a Cohesive Zone Model Approach for Time and History Dependent Materials’ won the Dean's Prize for Innovation and Impact in Doctoral Research at Brunel University London in February 2015, and a Merit Prize for best student paper at the International Conference of Applied and Engineering Mathematics, part of the World Congress of Engineering in July 2013. Layal worked as an early career researcher at Imperial College London and joined the Mathematics Department at the University of Exeter in April 2018.

 

If you are an undergraduate or masters student and are interested in undertaking a doctorate, please look at these resources:

• Choosing postgraduate study
• Postgraduate Study applications
• Networking and making career connections
• Career Mentor Scheme- search for academic mentors
• Research Internships – look out for research Internships advertised through your department
• A2I – consider using A2I funding to create your own research project within the university

Support for Doctoral students:

• Library Skills for Researchers
• Researcher Development

Placement Year Unpacked: A Conversation with Placement Ambassadors

In this week’s episode, Employability and Careers Consultant, Ben Toulson, speaks to our Centre for Geography and Environmental Science Placement Ambassadors, Sophie Hartop, Abi Brookes and Sasha Clark.

Sophie, Abi and Sasha share their placement year experiences, including discussions around what they gained from their placements, how they found and secured them, the logistics of placements, and returning to university the following year.

Further resources:

• Contact the Career Zone to book a placement appointment with a member of the team.
• Take a look at our work placement pages.
• Explore the Placements Hub.

Working in Higher Education: In conversation with Professor Beverley Hawkins, Dean for Taught Students at the University of Exeter

Professor Beverley Hawkins is a Professor or Leadership and Organisational Studies in the Business School and the Dean for Taught Students at the University of Exeter.

After undertaking her degree in Business Management at Swansea, Beverley went into a graduate role in fund management. Beverley then did another undergraduate degree in Germany where she also translated washing machine instructions. Beverley then found herself in Warwick undertaking her Masters and then at Keele doing a PhD in Management.

In this podcast we explore Beverley’s journey to Professorship and how she dealt with becoming increasingly physically disabled, with limited mobility, during her PhD and how this has impacted her working life. 

Sophia’s PhD Journey, part 1

Thinking of doing doctoral research? In this episode, Kate Foster, Employability and Careers Consultant, talks with Sophia, a second year PhD student. Sophia shares what motivated her to study a PhD, some of the challenges she has faced so far and her advice to students considering doctoral research. 

We’ll be catching up with Sophia regularly to hear how their PhD journey is going. Follow the Career Zone Podcast to stay up to date with Sophia’s experiences, insights and reflections along the way.

Making the most of career opportunities at university

In this week’s episode, Will King, Programme Officer, is joined by current student Frederick Proctor to discuss how to make the most of career opportunities. Frederick shares his experiences with the various events and programmes he has got involved with including Create Your Future, the Exeter Award and attending conferences. Frederick shares his tips on planning, prioritising and saying yes to different opportunities.

Links:

• Create Your Future
• Exeter Award
• Exeter Leaders Award
• Green Consultants
• Aspiring Teachers
• Professional Pathways
• Careers and Employability sessions including Networking Essentials and LinkedIn Essentials
• Employer Events in Exeter and Cornwall and Careers Fairs

Benny’s PhD Journey, part 1

Thinking of doing doctoral research?

In this episode, Kate Foster, Employability and Careers Consultant, talks with Benny, a first year PhD student. Benny shares what motivated him to study a PhD, some of the challenges he has faced so far and his advice to students considering doctoral research.  

We’ll be catching up with Benny  regularly to hear how his PhD journey is going. Follow the Career Zone Podcast to stay up to date with Benny’s experiences, insights and reflections along the way.

The importance of being curious

In this episode, Dawn Lees, Student Employability and Development Manager, explores the importance of being curious, how it can help you in the workplace and Dawn shares how you can develop your curiosity.  

 

Useful Links:

• Planned Happenstance podcast (https://pod.fo/e/33a7e9) 
• Employer and alumni events in Exeter and Penryn.
• Exeter Students' Guild and The Students' Union societies.
• Attend a Careers and Employability session

Law Mini-Series: International Law: In conversation with Felix Tang, Young barrister Hong Kong, Chairman of the Standing Committee of Young Barristers of the Hong Kong Bar Association

In our Law mini-series podcast, our Law Employability and Careers Consultants; Rachel, Tess and Sunny, talk to experienced professionals from both legal and non-legal sectors to hear their career experiences and advice.

Interested to work as a barrister internationally? Felix Tang talks about the life of a barrister in Hong Kong, and the experiences he had at Exeter which helped him get there. A must-listen to podcast for every student who is interested in the bar internationally.

In addition to this episode you can find more information to help with career planning here; University of Exeter Career Zone ,  Law and legal services and Employability for Law Students

Working in Higher Education: In conversation with Graham Perkins, Associate Dean for Education within the Business School

Graham Perkins is the Associate Dean for Education within the Business School and an Associate Professor in Human Resource Management. Graham has both professional and academic experience within the field of Human Resource Management, having completed both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the subject, and having worked in industry in several HRM roles. 

Graham came from a family in which no-one had been to university before him. Graham attended a state school, growing up in a neighbourhood with one of the lowest rates of entry to higher education. Listen to the podcast to learn how Graham went from not getting the A Level grades to attend the university of his choice and going through Clearing, to becoming an Associate Professor. 

Inside the world of Bid Writing: In conversation with Matt Light, Director at AscellaHealth.

In this episode, Dawn Lees, Student Employability and Development Manager, chats with alumnus Matt Light, Director at AscellaHealth, about building a career in Bid Writing.

With 15 years experience leading bid and proposal teams across both the public and private sector, Matt shares his journey from a junior bid writer to team leader. Matt explains the various career pathways within the profession, the key skills for success and how teamwork helps win contracts, as well as what excites him about his job.