Career Stories
Duration 45 Minutes
Team Professional Development

The Career’s Stories series aims to shine a light on the very real journeys people take in their careers – the twists, the growth, the moments of doubt, and the things that help people move forward. We hope that by sharing these stories, colleagues can feel inspired, reassured, and more confident about navigating their own paths.

The series will showcase stories from colleagues with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, celebrating their diverse journeys and raising the profile of hidden roles, opportunities across UoN and transferable skills.

All sessions are recorded and available on our Career Stories page.


The session will consist of:

  • Career Story Speaker - 25 mins (recorded)

  • Q&A – 20 mins

Please read the below short descriptions of each person's story to see some of the topics they will be discussing.

1) Charlotte Kingsbury (1st June) -I reflect on how my mental health, neurodivergence, disability, difficulties in starting a family and compulsory redundancy have all shaped a very squiggly yet satisfying fifteen years at the University so far. My journey has included roles in HR, DTS and the VC’s Office, moving forwards, backwards and sideways along the way.

2) Mike Lear (17th June) - Starting as a casual catering assistant, I progressed through operational kitchen and leadership roles before moving into my current position as a Food & Beverage Manager within Catering Services. My journey has taken me from hands‑on chef work to managing back‑of‑house operations for the catered halls on University Park. Hear about how I navigated the shift into management, developed people and projects, and balanced day‑to‑day operational delivery with long‑term strategic work, including leading initiatives such as the Catering Pathways Academy.

3) Vic Sun (30th June) - My story is a reminder that careers don’t just happen — we shape them. When I arrived in the UK in 2022, I was adjusting to a new country, a new HE system and a newborn, all while working in a role that didn’t align with my experience, making progression feel unclear. In 2025, I chose to take ownership by completing targeted training, expanding my networks and working closely with a supportive manager, and I’m now building a clear path toward becoming a research support specialist with the direction I’d been seeking.

4) Christian Warren (28th July) - For much of my twenties, I felt like I was working from a different page to everyone around me. Over time, I came to understand why. While this understanding has brought relief, there's also been a lot of feeling behind.
Over time I've come to appreciate how a lot of my lived experience has actually enabled me to bring extra value to the work I do in supporting students with a wide range of concerns and anxieties, and am embracing the challenge of accepting they'll be things I'll always find difficult in a way that enables me to focus more on the unique things I can bring.

5) Janette Alvarado-Cruz (tbc) - I’ll be sharing my experience of returning after maternity leave, navigating career progression as an intersectional woman, and finding my way into the higher education sector.

6) Luke Camina (5th August) - I began my journey as an apprentice by learning my trade across the different university campuses, gaining experience in a wide range of buildings and environments before later settling into work primarily at Jubilee. Over time I stepped into opportunities that let me support others, take on HR responsibilities, working closely with different teams and facilities, and build my confidence through development programmes and secondments that steadily expanded my responsibilities. Along the way, I learned that leading people with different backgrounds and personalities is both challenging and rewarding, and that being approachable, open and honest is key to building trust and overcoming the initial worry of transitioning from being “the apprentice” to someone others look to for guidance.

7) Sanna Pampel (14th September) - I began my career in IT and software development, went on to earn a psychology‑focused PhD, transitioned into Human Factors Engineering, and eventually returned to IT. Each move brought a completely new environment and a steep learning curve. I genuinely enjoy diving into unfamiliar topics, but it also means I’ve rarely had the chance to work on autopilot.
What has been most valuable throughout these shifts is what I’ve learned about myself — my strengths, what energises me, and the types of environments where I do my best work.



Previous sessions:
All sessions are recorded and available on our Career Stories page.

1) Claire Jagger (24th March) - Living with OCD and anxiety has meant regularly challenging myself, my assumptions, and the systems around me. My story explores how a condition that can feel debilitating has also shaped my personality, resilience and perspective. Hear about the highs and lows of that journey, and how I’ve worked to become the best version of myself along the way.

2) Rob Severn (17th April) - I followed my family into the Police Service, spending eight years in uniform responding to 999 calls before moving into detective and CID roles. I progressed through the ranks to Sergeant in 2000 and later Detective Chief Inspector, serving across CID, Public Protection and the Regional Homicide Unit until retiring in 2020. After leading the design of a new sexual assault referral centre, I began exploring how my skills could transfer beyond policing. With my children’s positive university experiences in mind, I looked to the sector for a new challenge and joined Estates and Facilities in a Business Support role during Covid. Five years on, I continue to apply those transferable skills and learn every day. My story is about embracing change, taking risks, and not being afraid to try something new.

3) Rachel Van Krimpen (28th April) - I’ve been at the University of Nottingham since 2010, and will talk about navigating career progression, balancing work and maternity leaves, and the process of carving out my own niche over time. I’ll also reflect on the value of external networks, the role that reflective practice has played in my development, and how coaching, mentoring and positive role models have supported me through different challenges along the way.

4) Dave Butler (11th May) - I began my career in a junior role within Catering Services and eventually progressed to Head Chef before making a significant shift from the kitchen to an office‑based role. This transition meant moving from leading a team to becoming the most junior member of a new one. I’ll share what I learned along the way, how I navigated this change, and how I’ve grown in my new career.
LocationStart DateAll DatesTimesPlaces AvailableBook
Online Course01 June 202601 June 20262:00pm - 2:45pm61
Online Course17 June 202617 June 20261:00pm - 1:45pm72
Online Course30 June 202630 June 20269:30am - 10:15am64
Online Course28 July 202628 July 20262:30pm - 3:15pm29
Online Course05 August 202605 August 202611:00am - 11:45am29
Online Course14 September 202614 September 20261:00pm - 1:45pm29