How important is lived experience in designing programmes to connect excluded communities and individuals with meaningful opportunities?

And is it possible to create and steer policy if you didn't finish your degree?

Jagdeep Soor is Head of Strategic Partnerships at Pathway Group - an organisation that (amongst other things) puts the experiences and needs of multicultural communities at the heart of its programmes and service offerings. In our conversation, Jagdeep shares his views on:

• The talent that existed within his community growing up in the Midlands (and how a lack of funding made any successes all the more hard-won)
• Why hockey was about more than just sport
• Discovering that university didn't suit his learning style
• His experiences of unemployment and how underinvestment and educational bias impacted his early career options
• How he built a career that went from front-line employment support advice to influencing and implementing national policy
• Why a regional and multicultural approach is so important when designing programmes
• The power of combining data and drive for results with empathy and lived experience

To find out more about Pathway Group and the Multicultural Apprenticeship Alliance, visit: https://pathwaygroup.co.uk/multiculturalaa/

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What does it take to lead the finance function in a Financial Services firm when you don't have a background in the industry?

And how do you overcome accent and educational bias to build a career that could easily be denied to you?

Paul Foot is Head of Finance for the Investment Management arm of Universities Superannuation Scheme Ltd. He is also the lead for their newly created Social Mobility Network. In our conversation, Paul paints a vivid picture of what it means to come from a working class background and his experiences of:

* Cultural norms at school in which academic achievement wasn't perceived as 'cool'

* How being good at sport became his 'pass' for wanting to study hard

* An early brush with a career in the recording industry

* Experiencing overt classism alongside education and accent bias in interview situations

* People's surprise that he didn't have a degree

* The importance of advocating for people from less privileged backgrounds

This is a frank and often funny conversation that underlines the reality of the challenges that must be overcome to improve socioeconomic diversity.

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How do you go from recreating your favourite comedy series with your friends for fun, to being a cameraman that’s regularly booked by BBC News and Sky Sports?

And how do you find your way into film production when you don’t have any connections?

David Stubbins is a freelance Film Camera Operator, Director and Editor whose career spans the worlds of travel, corporate events and televised sports.

In this episode David shares:

• How lack of space on his chosen A-level courses meant studying two subjects he hadn’t picked

• Why a story left on a common room table decided his future

• What is was like being a cameraman for a Private Detective!

• Why on the job experience made him more valuable to film companies than having a degree

• Why people skills are as important as technical skills – even when you’re established

This episode offers a fantastic insight into the world of film production and editing – from securing work experience, through to getting yourself pitch side with professional footballers and TV presenters.

To view David’s work, head to: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-stubbins79/

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How can you build a career in tech when you’re facing multiple barriers to employment?

And how do participate in online training programmes when you lack access to a laptop or internet connectivity?

Andy Kemp is the Director of Partnerships at Generation UK & Ireland – an organisation that bridges the gap between education and employment and helps people who are experiencing disadvantage to access opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to them. In our conversation, Andy shares:

• The truth about the narrow distribution of opportunities in the UK & Ireland

• How Generation's fully-funded bootcamps bridge the digital poverty gap

• Why classic education pathways are not serving current job opportunities

• The value of putting data at the centre of social impact programmes

• Why retrofitting is an enormous area of opportunity

To find out more about the work that Generation UK & Ireland do, head to: https://uk.generation.org/

To read the Social Impact Report that Andy mentions in this episode, visit: https://uk.generation.org/news/social...

To read the Social Mobility Commission's State of the Nation report that Toni references, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publica...

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How does a diagnosis of autism in your 20’s help you better understand your experience of school?

And how does being ‘coached’ for Oxbridge clash when you can’t perform recall under pressure?

Cameron Phillips is Head of Customer Success at @KAYBE_Group and was expected by his school to go on to study for a degree but he found he was unsuited to high-pressure exam situations.

In our conversation, Cameron shares:

• Why he swapped studying for A-levels for overtime shifts in a kitchen

• What it was about exams that made him feel uncomfortable

• His experience of being diagnosed with autism

• How he learned how to leverage his neurodiversity

• How educational establishments and employers can better support neurodiverse people

To learn more about the organisations that Cameron mentions:

Team Brit: https://teambrit.co.uk/

All4Inclusion: https://www.all4inclusion.org/

You can also read Cameron’s views on neurodiversity in business and his own experiences:

Two Faced: My Autistic Journey: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/two-faced-my-autistic-journey-cameron-phillips/?trackingId=4xJoE8ljSUqCmae9WPpU4w%3D%3D

Neurodiversity in Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/embracing-neurodiversity-paradigm-shift-marketing-cameron-phillips/

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How do you combine a sense of adventure with a career in sales?

And how do you even begin to plan to row the Atlantic solo?

Lara Vafiadis (aka 'This Girl Rows') is someone who embodies the term 'Drive and Determination'. From earning her Yachtmaster Certificate aged just 21 to completing the 'World's Toughest Row' solo just a few years later, Lara's story is one of optimism, focus and the value of pursuing your passions.

In this episode, Lara shares:

• Why her teachers were disappointed that she didn't go to uni
• What her parents taught her about following your own path
• How being fantastic at team sports set her up for her solo row
• How she coped with the loss of her dad just months before she set out to sea

Lara also provides fantastic tips for anyone who doesn't fit the 'typical' profile when applying for a job and how you can use your point of difference to demonstrate that you can add value.

Lara will be taking on a new extreme challenge in Summer 2025 - to hear the details first - or pledge your support - head to:

https://www.thisgirlrows.com/

You can also connect with Lara on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laravafiadis/

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How does it feel to be the first black rugby player in the UK?

And the first black ski instructor for artificial slopes in the UK?

And the first person to co-ordinate a major public event finishing in The Mall?

How about having 600 of your rock photographs licensed to Getty Images?

And how do you do all these things when you began life as a Ward of Court?

Solomon (Sol) N'Jie has had an incredible career spanning multiple industries which includes a number of firsts. In this episode Sol generously shares his memories and insights in the following areas:

• His early life in a children's home
• Challenging negative narratives and beliefs held by people in power
• Joining the RAF
• Entering the world of Wasps rugby
• Teaching Paratroopers to ski
• How he came to photograph some of the biggest names in rock
• His experiences in Crowd Safety Management and involvement in The London Marathon, the Olympic Games and Live Aid!
• The power of asking for what you want

To connect with Sol, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solomon-n...

You can also view his iconic rock photos here: https://iconicrockphotos.net/

To hear Sol talk in detail about his Live Aid experience, head to:    • Spandex, Synths and Stadium Rock: The...  

And finally!.... To learn about the Wasps Legends Charitable Foundation, visit: https://waspslegends.co.uk/

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How does it feel to grow up in a family and a culture where university is an expectation, not a choice?

To answer this question, I’m joined by Nana Agyemang, Proposition Delivery Manager at Barclays. Born in Ghana, Nana moved to the UK to begin his secondary education and always knew that he was expected to go to university – whether he wanted to or not! In this episode we explore Nana’s experiences of:

• The differences between the Ghanaian and UK education system
• Educational expectations – and the reasons behind them
• Discovering the value of apprenticeships
• Finding out his degree would unexpectedly save him thousands of pounds when applying for naturalisation
• What his parents said when he told them some of his friends weren’t going to uni!

To connect with Nana and learn more about his work in promoting social inclusion, follow him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nana-agyemang-91950223a/

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How do you cope with school when you're neurodivergent?

And what do you do when your child is neurodivergent but you can no longer afford to send them to a school that gives them the support that they need?

Kirstin Coughtrie is the Founder and Innovation Architect of Gaia Learning - an award-winning online school for neurodivergent thinkers. Gaia was born out of Kirstin's own experiences of the education system as a pupil, teacher and parent of a child with additional needs. In our conversation, we discuss how Kirstin:

* Moved to a whole new system of schooling in the UK aged 11

* Taught herself to learn in a way that allowed her to make friends and please teachers (something she now understands were signs of her own ADHD)

* Discovered why many parents of children with ADHD and autism choose private schooling

* Found herself in the position of creating an online school that was one of the first to be registered as a Cambridge International School and is recognised as Alternative Provision

* Believes we can re-imagine schooling inline with Gaia principles

To find out more, visit: https://www.gaialearning.co.uk/

You can also connect with Kirstin via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstin/

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When you have to start work at 16 years old to contribute to the household budget, how do you avoid becoming trapped in low-income employment?

And how do you meaningfully re-enter the workplace as a young single mum?

In this episode of the Challenging University Podcast, IT channel legend Julie Simpson shares:

* The impact of her dad's death on her education and family circumstances

* How she carved out a rewarding career of her own choosing

* Why she and her husband sold their house to fund the creation of the business at a time when they had four children under the age of 12 between them

* The difference between being academic and being smart - and how she tests for this in interviews

* Tips for business founders on how to hand over the reins

Julie's story is one of resilience, confidence and being alert to opportunities.

To find out more about her organisation, visit www.resourceit.net

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