Welcome to our Maths Week Spotlights, where you'll hear from different STEM Ambassadors about how they've used maths in their lives and careers.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I regularly throw myself into random experiences, like volunteering in the Commonwealth Games, riding on a mini steam train to earn a badge, dressing up as a tin of baked beans, and travelling all the way to New York to find a park bench dedicated to my favourite actor, Bill Pullman! Life is short and I’m packing as much fun into it as I can
What was your experience with maths growing up and in school?
I’ve always preferred words to numbers. In school, I managed to get good grades in Maths although I never felt confident with it. After passing Higher Maths in fifth year, my teachers encouraged me to continue studying it but I didn’t want to. Beyond the basics I’d already learned, I didn’t think I would ever use maths in my career or life in general. I didn’t know anyone (other than teachers or accountants) who had a job with a clear connection to maths, and since I didn’t want to follow either of those careers, I didn’t take my maths learning any further. Looking back now, I wish I knew just how much maths was used in so many jobs and everyday life!
Tell us about your careers journey so far.
All through school and university, I had no idea what career I’d like, so I kept my options open by choosing a wide range of subjects, joining lots of clubs and volunteering. This gave me a great base of skills and helped me figure out what I liked and disliked doing.
My first job was unpaid, volunteering part-time in a charity shop while at school. This led to me getting a part-time paid job in a supermarket while at university. After that, I worked full-time in recruitment (hiring people) for about 10 years before I was made redundant. I actually loved being made redundant as it gave me a chance to reflect and realise the thing I wanted most from my career was to help people! So my next job was helping unemployed people get back into work, and now my job is helping people be more inclusive.
What was your favourite subject in school and why?
I had two favourite subjects in school – Biology and Art – because both allowed me to be creative. If I came up with a new idea, I could test it through experimenting in Biology or create it through drawing or modelling in Art. I loved the freedom and excitement of seeing if my ideas worked out. I was also lucky to have great, encouraging teachers in these subjects who showed me study didn’t need to be boring.
How do you use maths in your role?
I use maths in lots of ways I didn't originally expect. One example is budgeting, where I work out how much money’s needed for different events/activities, compare prices and make sure we don’t overspend. Another example is ‘analysing workforce questionnaire data’, where I look at the questionnaire scores, work out what they mean, then compare results for different groups/locations in case there’s any patterns. I also look at ‘demographic data’ (like age, sex, race/ethnicity, disability) to make sure our company’s welcoming to all different types of people and nobody is facing barriers to joining, staying or growing their career here.
What is your favourite thing about your job?
My favourite thing is helping people. For example, this week I’ve been helping Dyslexic co-workers get software that can help them in their work; I’ve run a workshop helping almost 200 co-workers learn about neurodiversity; I’ve been organising a live chat series where our company leaders talk about why it’s OK not to always be perfect; and I’ve met with co-workers worldwide to help design new ways for our company to be inclusive. I never imagined a job in a big company could involve helping so many people every day, and I love it!
What is a normal day in your role like?
I’m not sure if I ever have a ‘normal’ day! But usually I start by checking my calendar for the day ahead, taking a quick look at my emails, then making a list of what I need to get done. Most days I have meetings (either in-person or by phone/videocall) and I get unexpected calls and emails from co-workers who need help. Some days I get to travel – either to local schools to help mentor pupils, to our offices in other parts of the UK, or to our customer’s offices. Once I was very lucky and got to travel to Washington and New York in the USA! Every day is different and there’s always a lot happening, so I need to be very organised and flexible to get everything done. I also make sure to take breaks when I can, so I don’t get burned out.
And what does your job title mean?
My role is part of the Human Resources (HR) team, which is all about people. There are lots of different levels in the team starting with entry-level (e.g. apprentice or administration). My first job in the company was in administration but now I’m part of the HR leadership team, which means I get to help make big decisions!
Can you suggest an activity that could be done at home that illustrates an aspect of your work?
In my role, I spend time getting to know lots of people – especially people who are different to me because they might have ideas, beliefs or abilities that are different to mine. If I don’t know people well enough, I might accidentally leave them feeling left out or unable to do their work, and our company might miss out on all the great ideas and skills they have to offer.
To try this out yourself, think of 5 people you know who are different to you in some way (e.g. age, gender, hobbies, ability, race/ethnicity, religion), and ask if they’ll be willing to spend some time with you. Chat to them about what their life is like, what they enjoy or don’t enjoy, what they find hard or easy, what they’d choose if they were granted 3 wishes...
It might feel awkward at first, especially if you don’t have much in common, but the more you do it, the easier it gets, the more you learn about people, and the more you can make sure everyone is included!