WLV Dialogue October 09

WLVdialogue October 2009 | Issue 6 | University of Wolverhampton | www.wlv.ac.uk

Gallery on track Station given new lease of creative life

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Learning to excel The secret to having the X Factor

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Distance learning University helps to transform education on remote island

Welcome

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October 2009 | Issue 6 | www.wlv.ac.uk

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elcome to the October edition of WLVdialogue.

With news of the economic downturn still dominating, the University is delighted to have secured funding for a business initiative which is helping companies in the region. Information about the Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme and its benefits can be found on page 16. There are also details of the University’s business engagement strategy outlined in an interview with Professor Ian Oakes, our Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise, on page 18.

Among them were comedian Frank Skinner and food writer and cook Nigel Slater. We caught up with them after the ceremonies and you can read their interviews on pages 12-15.

Elsewhere you’ll find research into child stars and the effects of fame and find out from our academics on page 8 what really makes the X-Factor as the popular show takes over Saturday nights on the small screen.

The University is supporting an interesting education project on the remote island of St Helena, and you can find out more on page 20. There’s also news of an unusual art venture and graduate successes.

In addition, you can find out more about how we’re helping graduates boost their employment prospects and develop distinctive attributes to help them stand out from the crowd.

We hope you enjoy this latest issue of WLVdialogue. We’re delighted to have been shortlisted for a CIPR Pride Award in the Best Newspaper/Magazine category. Winners will be announced at the end of November.

Someone who knows the importance of investing in graduates is Ian Powell, Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Born in the Black Country and educated at the University of Wolverhampton, he is one of our most successful alumni. Read about his achievements and ambitions on page 20.

If you’d like to send us your views, feedback or comments please email: wlvdialogue@wlv.ac.uk

September saw thousands of students graduate from the University at our annual ceremonies. It was a wonderful occasion and the University also presented Honorary awards to many notable figures.

Emma Kilvert Editor

Our next edition will be out in January next year.

Best wishes

contents

NEWS Aiming high – University provides help for graduates seeking employment

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Gallery on track – Art student’s vision transforms former station

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RESEARCH The price of fame – Research reveals difficulties faced by child stars

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Learning to excel – Experts share the secrets of having the ‘X Factor’

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PROFILE Raising aspirations – Q&A with Professor of Education, Mick Waters

Learning to excel

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GRADUATION FEATURE Educating Frank – Comedian Frank Skinner on how learning changed his life

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Cooking class – Honorary award recipient Nigel Slater returns to his roots

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BUSINESS Knowledge is power – £24.3 million cash injection for recession-busting scheme

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Enterprise exchange – Q&A with Pro Vice-Chancellor Ian Oakes

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Cooking class

INTERNATIONAL Distance learning – University supports education on the remote island of St Helena

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PEOPLE Opportunities count – Alumni Ian Powell, PricewaterhouseCooper Chairman, shares his story

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Graduate success story – TV assistant director Gemma Wright shares her success

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WHAT’S ON GUIDE Events coming up at the University

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Opportunities count

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Aiming Hi Ai Highb

University gives graduates the skills to succeed

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oday’s graduating students face a Catch-22 situation. They want to get a job but do not yet have the required experience, and cannot gain the experience without a job.

It is a difficult situation made worse by the current economic climate. At the University of Wolverhampton, significant steps are being taken to arm students with skills and attributes to make them employable from the moment they collect their degree scroll.

According to the National Union of Students (NUS) 77% of students say they come to university to enhance their career prospects and get a job. The recession has hit all levels of businesses and reduced the number of jobs available. But there are signs of hope on the horizon, especially for those who have gained a higher education qualification.

Wolverhampton has always placed emphasis on the importance of employability and has added to this ethos with a number of new initiatives to boost students’ credentials.

Dean of Students, Jon Elsmore, oversees the University’s Careers and Employment Services.

He says: “We have a duty to provide students with the best opportunities to get work after they have graduated. With the class of 2009 we have gone the extra mile. We and the other universities in the region have been active in initiatives developed by Graduate Advantage, which allow students to gain part and full-time placements.”

One of the most high-profile schemes is the West Midlands Graduate Internship (WMGI) programme, supported by central Government. Graduates take an unpaid work placement with a West Midlands company, but are still entitled to claim employment benefits, enabling them to be able to afford to gain the experience.

So far Wolverhampton has been successful in placing students with large companies including Caparo, who are looking to take up to 30 graduates on internships.

The scheme has proved popular with graduates, including Iyasha Arabley, who heard about it via The Workplace at the University. She gained a BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance in 2009 and is completing an internship with Caparo Testing Technologies.

“After graduating it was difficult to know where to turn,” Iyasha says. “With the downturn in the economic climate it was not the ideal situation to be seeking employment.

“I have found the whole experience very helpful and the scheme effectively matched my skills with the employer’s needs.

“I am very excited about the placement and I believe it will boost my chances of finding a job.”

This positive view is reflected by employers.

John Wood, Chief Executive of Caparo Engineering Ltd, sees the internships as a great way of supporting new talent.

“The West Midlands Graduate Internship scheme is an excellent initiative,” he says. “It gives companies of all sizes the opportunity to supplement and strengthen their resources during this difficult period. The projects are worthwhile in their own right, but I am also sure the scheme will lead to permanent recruitment.

The graduates have the opportunity of real job experience, to strengthen their CVs and to impress potential employers.

“The University understood our needs and is working hard to arrange suitable matches.

I recommend this excellent scheme to local companies and graduates.”

There are also national initiatives such as the Graduate Talent Pool, which is regularly advertised to all students by the University, and matches graduates with internship opportunities.

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In addition, the University secured funding of £68,000 from the Leonardo Da Vinci programme, an EU initiative to support education and training, to enable students to gain work experience abroad. Graduates from any discipline can complete a 12-week placement at a Dutch company, where they will learn new skills and enhance their job prospects. And there is also help for overseas students through the International Student Enrichment programme which enables them to get work experience locally to enhance their job prospects when they graduate.

The Wolverhampton Student Looking ahead, Wolverhampton is developing distinctive graduate attributes to make students stand out. These skills will be embedded into the evolving curriculum from the point of entry for students, with careers advisors teaching modules about employability. This is a longterm strategy, so even when the job market improves graduates will be better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world of work.

Jon Elsmore says the University is in the process of developing three distinctive University of Wolverhampton Graduate Attributes: • Digitally Literate: Graduates will be confident users of advanced technologies.

• Knowledgeable and Enterprising: They will know how to critique, analyse and apply knowledge they acquire in an enterprising way. Graduates will constantly nurture their own intellectual curiosity.

• Global Citizens: Graduates will have personal and professional values that help them to lead, and take a substantial role in their local, national and global communities.

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He adds: “The graduating class of 2009 are not the only ones who are going to be affected by the downturn. The impact will continue for a few years to come. The whole university is refocusing the curriculum at the moment to embed employability in courses from the moment students start. We are engaged with employers and students to develop these graduate attributes, and when our graduates finish their programmes they will stand out as being ready for the world of work.”

As well as placement initiatives, the University has a number of services available to students.

The Careers and Employment Service is open to students at any point in their course, and this remains a resource for graduates. Those who have moved out of easy reach of Campus can access information via a new live chat service and other e-guidance.

“Once our students have graduated we don’t abandon them,” Jon says.

“Our students can get one-to-one guidance and help with CVs and interview techniques. Students increase their chances dramatically by getting that help from us.”

There has been an increase in the number of students visiting the Career Centre at the University. Simon Brandwood, Head of Careers and Employment Services, says: “Students are saying there are not many opportunities out there, because of the bleak picture portrayed by the media. But in times of recession, there are always other opportunities, and that is what our staff are telling them.

“We advise them to apply for things and get themselves known, and there is a range of full and part-time placements and voluntary work they can do. They really need to get work experience and the new schemes for voluntary internships allow students to get a foot on the ladder.

“Companies are particularly looking for internships in marketing and business development as they need to attract new business.”

In 2008, the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey found that 91% of University of Wolverhampton graduates were in employment or further education or training.

Jon Elsmore is realistic about the figures for 2009, given the national picture.

“What we don’t yet know is how the graduate class of 2009 is going to fare, but it is important to us and our students that we maintain a high percentage.

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“There are still jobs out there. It is just that now the field is increasingly competitive. And it is important for graduates to remember that their first job may not be their perfect job, but it is a start.”

And there is always the opportunity to stay at university, and enrol for a postgraduate course to boost skills even further, an option taken up by many students.

So the future does look bright for Wolverhampton graduates wishing to grab the various opportunities available to them and shine out in a crowd.

Employers, students and recent graduates can find out more by contacting the The Workplace at the University on tel: 01902 323400 Or email: theworkplace@wlv.ac.uk Web: www.wlv.ac.uk/careers

Gallery on trrack track

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he historic Low Level train station in Wolverhampton closed in 1972. With the progression of electrification work on lines across the region, services to the once-thriving station had gradually been reduced.

Since then it has remained empty. Over the years, there were several proposals for the redevelopment of the site, including a Chinese restaurant, casino and even a plan to convert it into a transport museum. None of these came to fruition, despite a recent two-year restoration project.

Now, over 150 years after it first opened, the Victorian building has been given a remarkable new lease of life thanks to a Fine Arts student with a vision.

Antoinette Allyne has transformed the former station into a public art gallery, the Volte, and has been overwhelmed by the positive response she has received.

Through word of mouth, she ended up with 54 exhibitors for the opening last month – and a waiting list of over 150 for future exhibitions.

The old station provides a striking setting for the displays of textiles, paintings, illustrations and digital installations, which have all captured the imagination of the public. A local florist even supplied specially-created floral art.

The seeds for the project were sown during the 51-year-old’s studies at the University’s School of Art & Design.

“I did an exhibition module in my second year.

I got a real buzz out of it and absolutely loved it,” says Antoinette. “I just had this idea that I wanted to create, curate and direct a gallery.

“I wanted a challenge and started looking for venues all around Wolverhampton. It’s amazing how everything has taken off.”

Antoinette put together a proposal and contacted the developers, Oswin, who were behind the restoration of the landmark site, which still houses a section of the original Brunel train track.

A year-long lease has been signed for the new makeshift gallery, but bosses are not charging rent.

“I’m just so pleased they had the vision and gave me the support,” says Antoinette, “I couldn’t believe this massive blue-brick building had just been standing there.

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I used to go for walks around the city with my sons when they were younger and I remember walking near the train tracks and seeing the old building. Even then, I thought it was beautiful.”

As her project has grown, Antoinette, who is from Islington originally but made Wolverhampton her home 20 years ago, is now spending a year out working on it, with the full support of the University. She will return to her studies full-time next year.

“The University has been amazing,” she says.

“I have had so much encouragement.”

It has become a real team effort with staff and students helping with everything from printing and designing flyers and posters to taking photographs.

“It really has brought together so many people,” she says. “There is no selection process for artists who want to display their work, and no commission on any work sold.

“I just wanted to gather together artists, regardless of their background. It’s just been wonderful; all these people with a common interest.”

She is full of enthusiasm and plans to organise a new exhibition every couple of months.

Now, she is excited about her role as gallery curator and exhibition organiser.

“Since starting my course, I haven’t looked back.” Her son had graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Wolverhampton and encouraged her to pursue her artistic dreams and sign up for a course. Antoinette was not daunted by the prospect as she has always enjoyed studying.

“I can’t believe where my studies have taken me,” she says. “I feel like it’s opened up a magical box.”

She made a seamless transition from a mum who loved knitting and being creative into a full-time mature student.

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The next exhibition will be on display from October 30 to November 30. The gallery is open from 10am-8pm Monday to Friday and from 10am-4pm on Saturdays.

For more information call Antoinette on tel: 0779 4459330.

Photos by Lukas Gajdek, Level 2 BA(Hons, Photography student

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The price of fam of fame

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research

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hen pop legend Michael Jackson died earlier this year, newspapers, websites and TV screens were filled with images from every stage of the singer’s life.

Journalists pawed over his 45 years in the limelight, from the early days performing on stage with his brothers in the Jackson 5 to the worldwide success of albums, right through to the latter years characterised by controversy surrounding his relationship with children.

Jackson, who performed from the age of five, is one example of a child star who grew up in the full glare of publicity and had a number of personal issues.

Dr Jane O’Connor is an expert in child stars at the University of Wolverhampton’s School of Education. The Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Family Studies says Jackson was one of a number of child stars who have spoken about not having a childhood due to the demands of the show business lifestyle.

“Michael Jackson described himself as the Peter Pan of pop and said he did not have a childhood so relived that time as an adult. This reinforces the idea that childhood is a special time that cannot repeat and if you miss it, then there can be a lot of problems with the adult identity.”

There is a dominant idea that there is a curse surrounding child stars. They are often described as having ‘too much too young’ or being ‘scarred for life’ by success, ending up as drug addicts, alcoholics or anorexics.

While some have gone on to have a stable and successful career as an adult, such as actress Jodie Foster, there are many high profile examples of stars who have had public meltdowns before they hit their 20s. Jane cites Drew Barrymore as an example of a star who had the public problems associated with fame at a young age, such as drug addiction and alcoholism. The actress entered rehab twice before she turned 14, but came through the other side and built a successful adult career.

But where does the interest around child stars come from? In her book, The Cultural Significance of the Child Star, Jane says the phenomenon of a ‘wonder child’ is nothing new.

“Having a few children in every society that are adored is a universal human feature. If you look at ancient civilisations and legends there are always stories of wonder children.

There is a huge power impressed upon these children. In my PhD thesis, I linked this to Carl Jung’s theory of the child archetype which suggests all human beings have the need to tell similar stories and one is the story of wonderful children, such as Hercules and Merlin.

“In contemporary Western culture, the manifestation of this is the ‘child star’. There is a need to have a child to symbolise all that is good, beautiful and innocent. They become public property and we project a lot of our desires of what is good on these children.”

But Jane says when you look at the experience of these children in the limelight, things start to unravel. They suddenly have power usually associated with being an adult.

“Childhood is a private space, when you are not economically active and do not have a professional persona, but child stars transgress those boundaries. They are, in some cases, supporting their family, and are open to the same mud-slinging aimed at all celebrities.

They are outside the protective boundaries of childhood and that can be very damaging to the emerging identity of the individual.”

Another recurrent refrain from child stars is that they ‘just wanted to be normal’.

“Children hate to feel different and left out of whatever their peers are doing. They say that they wanted to be in show business when a child, but did not understand the implications for the rest of their lives of having a famous face or a recognisable name.”

But the people who would have some idea of the potential implications of fame are the parents, and they are often characterised as the stereotypical pushy mum or dad.

Dr O’Connor continues: “Parents are often defensive about being accused of being a pushy parent. For example Charlotte Church’s mother said her daughter wanted to be a singer and she just wanted to help her. It is the ubiquitous line of defence, but parents have to enable children to be involved in show business.”

Charlotte Church is a good example of a so-called rebellion against the media image of the perfect, innocent child. Known as having ‘the voice of an angel’, the young Welsh star sang classical and religious songs and was adored. But when she became a teenager, she rebelled against the angelic image, was pictured smoking and was often portrayed by the media as enjoying a party lifestyle before she settled

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down and had children. But it is hard to see what the TV presenter did as being particularly extreme.

Jane, who joined the University in 2007 and teaches a module on children in the media, says: “We expect these children to be special and they disappoint – by just being normal.

We project symbolic significance on them, embodying hope and goodness, and then they turn out to be a normal teenager.”

There are more opportunities than ever before for children to step into the limelight, with reality shows such Britain’s Got Talent allowing youngsters to audition. In the latest series, a child burst into tears on stage, raising questions about whether children should be protected from the pressures of stardom. Jane says our dominant ideal about children is they should be protected from the demands of adulthood, but the child star seems to fall outside of that.

It is generally illegal for children to be taken out of school to work – except if they are shooting a film or performing in the theatre. There are safeguards in place for child actors regarding the hours they work and that they must be suitably chaperoned, but these laws date from the 1960s. There are calls from some quarters to review these policies.

A common problem for child stars is eating disorders. One half of the Olsen twins, MaryKate, had a high profile battle with anorexia, as did 1970s star Lena Zavaroni, from Opportunity Knocks, who tragically died from the disorder.

Dr O’Connor says there is value placed on looking cute, but adolescents do not always have that same power. She also identifies a phrase associated with child stars that they are a ‘has been at 10’ which is a lot to cope with if you are starting to become an adult. This may explain why some stars such as Home Alone actor Macaulay Culkin, marry at a relatively young age.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel for the current crop of child stars, including the 11,000 youngsters who have appeared in the Harry Potter films. One of the most iconic child stars, Shirley Temple, went on to become a UN ambassador. For Jane, one of the key insulating effects for the child star is to have another string to their bow. Emma Watson, the actress who plays Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, was recently pictured heading off to America to start studying at Brown University.

And Jane O’Connor says that one suspects the actress will be fine, suggesting there is life after childhood stardom.

Learning to eXcel Experts reveal the key to having the X factor

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or some people, standing in front of an audience of thousands and singing a few lines of your favourite tune is the stuff of nightmares.

For other talented – and not so talented – people, this is living the dream. The X Factor is undeniably one of the most popular shows on our television screens, attracting millions of viewers each week. But what do performers experience when they step on stage and has the show skewed music students’ understanding and expectations of this competitive industry?

Steve Cooper is Senior Lecturer in Popular Music at the University of Wolverhampton’s School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure.

He is also an extremely experienced musician himself, having appeared alongside the likes of Robert Plant and Lionel Richie. To get on the BA (Hons) Popular Music course, prospective students have to audition.

“Students think it will be like the X Factor but it is not like that at all. It is much more personal.

Some say they are worried, but we are not trying to put them in an awkward spot, we are just trying to make sure they have skills we can work with,” Steve explains.

But the live performance experience is not something that every singer or musician can cope with, demonstrated by the number of contestants who forget the words or say they can perform their song “much better than that”.

“When you see less experienced performers it is easy to see how stressful the performance situation can be. The X Factor puts people who are generally not experienced in situations where you require a lot of experience to draw on.

“It is well documented that nerves can hold you back in a performance situation. One of the things you can try to do is work out what a performance will take out of you. For example, if you can perform a piece so it is 90% right in a practice situation then you are almost there.

But when you are on stage, you can lose about 20% in terms of nerves, which means it will only be about 70% right in front of people – and The X Factor exposes that,” Steve says.

Another skill tested by Simon Cowell and his fellow judges Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue is the ability to shine in a very short amount of time. Contestants have no more than two minutes to perform for the judges, but must wow them in the first few seconds.

“It shows that it is about the preparation you put in beforehand. There are so many distractions in the room – the sounds will be different or you may look at an audience member and catch their eye and then find you are lost, and it is about knowing how to deal with that. The more confident and experienced you are, the less likely you are to slip into those habits.

“With our students we try to teach them performance is about preparation and knowing what to expect. If you are going to be nervous then you have to face it and think of ways of minimising that. We encourage them to think of exercises they can do or things they can focus on.

“Performance does not come naturally to a lot of people. The most successful performers are the ones who communicate what they mean and feel through their performance. It is not always about leaping around, but something that connects with the audience.”

Another talent show, BBC’s Strictly Comes Dancing, partners celebrities with professional dancers and tasks them with performing new routines each week.

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Sportsmen and women have done well over the previous six series of the show, possibly because they are more accustomed to competition or are more co-ordinated. But Dr Matthew Wyon, Reader in Performance Science, says that dance is still a very different skill from sport.

“Success in sport is easy to monitor; basically you have to either run faster, jump higher or score more goals than your opponents. But in dance and other arts, success is determined by the audience’s subjective view of your performance. You might have performed out of your skin, but if the audience doesn’t like it, have you really succeeded? The main difference is about entertainment, dance is there primarily to entertain whilst in sport it is to conquer.”

What is the X Factor?

One of Steve’s students, Treyc Cohen, made it through to the last 24 contestants of this year’s series of the X Factor, before mentor Simon Cowell revealed she was not going through to the live shows. Steve, who has worked with former contestants Journey South, Ben Mills and Brenda Edwards, says that of all the very talented students he has encountered, Treyc was the one he would have guessed would do well on the X Factor.

“She has a great voice and a great personality and I knew she would do well. I think she will be able to build on the experience, particularly locally. She will be able to use the contacts she has made and the promotion the show has given her to expand her horizons.”

There are many critics of shows like the X Factor, but Steve says it is good as it creates jobs for musicians. But it does give the illusion of instant success, whereas many musicians and singers have to work extremely hard for years before gaining recognition, money or fame.

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“Having the X Factor is about having the whole package. You have to look right, particularly in the live shows – they probably spend more time on the styling than the vocal coaching.

It also helps to have a back story as well and they seem to have to come up with something more extraordinary each year.

“But I would say if you can make a career in the music industry then you have the X Factor.”

For dance science expert Dr Matt Wyon, having the right body for the particular dance genre is important, as is possessing an underlying talent.

“Dance is about visual aesthetics. You find there are people who are technically good and then there is someone who is awesome. Often the X Factor is something underlying, that has come together in one person. It is about being technically great and being able to interpret the technique to make it look beautiful. For example ballroom dancers perform smooth movements and make it look effortless – even though it may be hurting them and be hard – it is a look rather than a reality.”

Students are encouraged to have an entrepreneurial outlook during their studies, and Matt says many go on to have their own dance schools. Steve Cooper adds the Popular Music degree is evolving to further embed a career focus in the course.

Employability is one of the strands of the degree, providing students with an awareness of what it means to be self employed.

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This is supported by a technological aspect, with students being shown how to build their own website, as it is now expected that all musicians will have an online presence.

And what last piece of advice can Steve offer the budding stars hoping to follow in the footsteps of Leona Lewis, Girls Aloud and JLS? As with many things in life, the reality is hard work and determination to succeed.

“Be patient and never say no to anything. If someone asks you to do something for free in a church hall, then do it. You never know who you will meet.”

Photograph - Copyright: talkbackTHAMES

“In reality, it is very small steps rather than one big rush of success – but that is the nature of the show. It takes you from zero to hero in eight weeks rather than slowly and steadily building up contacts and seeing how that develops.

Ra R aising Asperat M aspirations

ick Waters was recently appointed as Professor of Education at the University of Wolverhampton. He works with the Black Country Children’s Services Improvement Partnership in raising aspirations and influencing teaching and learning for children and young people in the region through initiatives such as the Black Country Challenge.

He was previously Director of Curriculum at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and took a lead role in national reviews and helping schools to rethink their approach to curriculum design. Before that, Mick was Chief Education Officer for the City of Manchester and worked in Birmingham Local Education Authority as Chief Adviser.

What does your work at the University of Wolverhampton involve?

My role involves working with partners to raise aspirations in the community and the leadership of schools, through the Black Country Partnership and Black Country Challenge. I am also hoping to help on the Initial Teacher Training programmes and possibly get involved in the research profile of the University.

What do you enjoy most about the role and find most rewarding?

I have been impressed by the enormous professionalism and energy of the people in the Education Partnerships team. They are absolutely committed to making things better for young people in the Black Country. I have been in to some schools in the area and have been impressed by the efforts being made to give youngsters better life chances and provide a rich and rewarding education. I have also got to know a little of the University and recognise what an important asset it is to the local community and the tremendous depths and strengths of the academic Schools.

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profile

What is your greatest professional achievement?

In my career I have been around the education block a few times! I have been Director of Curriculum at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and I have had significant posts in two of the biggest education authorities.

Some people would think my biggest achievement is getting people to think afresh about the curriculum at QCA, and some would think it is school improvements in big cities.

I think it is probably maintaining professional optimism and challenge in every job that I do and keeping young people at the heart of our work.

How do you think curriculum reforms have helped children to increase their opportunities for the future?

What happens to policy at a national level is not as important as where learning meets the child in a school. Discussion about curriculum reforms helps people to think about the fundamental aims for learning and what children need in a developing society. A lot of people think curriculum reform is about which artist, poet or battle children should learn about when really we need to think about the importance of art or history to society and to a better world and the benefits of these subjects to the individuals themselves.

You work with the Black Country Challenge – why do you think it is important for universities to work with schools in the region?

Good universities are a central part of the community they share. They influence the belief of people in their own community and they influence the local economy. The University of Wolverhampton is working incredibly hard to help people who live in the region understand the value of education and gain the most they can from it throughout the rest of their lives. It is natural that the University should be a key player in the Black Country Challenge and one of the key things it can do is help local and national businesses understand the role they can play. The University has a key role in informing regeneration and strategic thinking as part of the renaissance of the Black Country.

What are the key factors for making education attractive and interesting for children and young people?

All learners need to see learning as a natural activity. Just look at older people in art galleries, museums, parks and historic houses. They just want to find out more and understand more. Schools need to build on the natural inquisitiveness of people and help youngsters see why learning matters. Learning is not always easy and we have to work at it, but overall children learn more when they are engrossed, when there is a real purpose and when there is an audience that matters to them.

What are the major challenges facing the education sector today?

The challenge is helping young people to see that we have got to work together to create a better world and that they can develop the skills and the desire to make a difference. If we want a better world children need greater skills and better understanding than they have ever had before. This is difficult when people’s perception of schools are often planted in the past. We need modern schooling with a forward looking outlook to prepare children for their futures.

If you were at University today, what subject would you like to study or research?

That is the sort of question we should be asking children from the age of about eight years onwards, so they gradually understand that university and the range of opportunities to study are enormous. I might like to study the history of art, or physics or psychology. In the end I think I would end up in the School of Education trying to find the answers to some of the things about learning that still perplex me.

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Which famous people do you admire and why?

I like pioneers. Christian Barnard carried out the first heart transplant amid criticism of his ethics and 40 years later millions of people across the world have benefited. I like unsung heroes like Colin Murdoch who invented the disposable syringe and the animal tranquiliser dart or Ray Rowe who came up with the first mini roundabout. I like people who create beauty like Jane Wernick who helped design the London Eye and the aerial walkway at Kew. Do you have ambitions you still wish to fulfil?

I have never really had ambitions but I have always had belief and passion for learning things. I am a realist and know things will never be perfect, but that is not a reason for not making the best of whatever you are trying to do. I’d like to be able to play the piano though!

“If we want a better world children need greater skills and better understanding than before”

Educating Frank Frank Skinner is one of the biggest names in British comedy. In September he returned to his Black Country roots to receive an honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton in recognition of his contribution to comedy, particularly stand-up.

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rying to keep a classroom full of noisy children or teenagers enthused may not seem the obvious launch-pad for a successful career in stand-up comedy. But for Frank Skinner, school was the perfect place to debut his material – both as a child and an adult.

“I loved school – too much probably. At school I was already working as a stand-up comedian,” he says.

Frank is a great believer in the importance of education, and describes gaining his own degree in English from Birmingham Polytechnic as the “biggest change” in his life.

So returning to a higher education setting to receive an Honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton was both an honour and familiar territory for Frank. At the graduation ceremony this September, he told students and their families that education had opened up a whole new world of possibilities for him.

“I am a big fan of education. It really changed my life getting a degree – for the first time in my life I felt like I had achieved something special.”

Life could have taken a very different direction for the comedian, who left school and worked in a factory before realising it wasn’t the path for him.

“Growing up in Oldbury and Smethwick, I thought my destiny was to leave school and work in a factory until I died, but education opened up another life a lot more than being on telly did.

“It was the biggest change in my life – even more than the fame thing. I really felt my head expand.”

He admits he first read a book when he was 21, but went on to develop a real love of literature, including the poetry of Wordsworth, Tennyson and Gerard Manley Hopkins. Frank has gone on to become an author himself, publishing his first book, Frank Skinner, which became the top selling entertainment autobiography of 2002, and his latest book Frank Skinner On The Road, winner of a Richard and Judy Book Club Award.

After also studying a Masters degree in English at the University of Warwick, he became a lecturer in English at Halesowen College, whilst also doing stand-up comedy as a side-line.

But he remembers again using the classroom as a platform for his comedy too.

“As a teacher I was a pretty good stand-up comedian – at the end of the day, it was an audience. I am a great admirer of teachers – it is an amazing job. To get through to someone as a teacher is incredible,” he says.

After four years as a teacher, he left to become a comedian full-time, and the rest, as they say, is history. He performed his first stand-up gig in December 1987 and four years later went on to win the prestigious Perrier Award. During the mid 90s Frank sold-out two massive UK tours.

He also established himself as a leading name in television entertainment, going on to star in a succession of hit comedy shows, including Fantasy Football, The Frank Skinner Show, and Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned at the Edinburgh Festival.

His prolific career has also seen him attain three number one hits with the football anthem ‘Three Lions’, alongside David Baddiel and The Lightning Seeds and star in the hit West End show Art in 1999. Frank returned to live standup in 2007 and his third tour sold-out 69 dates across the UK.

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Frank Skinner’s Credit Crunch Cabaret resumed its West End residency, for its third extension, on October 12 and Frank Skinner – The Ultimate Collection will be released this autumn on DVD. His latest book, Frank Skinner On The Road, explores his stand-up comeback; from how an act is put together to the terrors and joys of trying to make a live audience laugh night after night and the nature of comedy itself. At the graduation ceremony, Frank presented a comedy award to two drama students from the University’s School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure who are launching their own career in comedy. The double act, Sami and Tilly, gained genuine stand-up experience while studying at the University, and Frank recognises the value of being able to test material in friendly surroundings.

He says: “You cannot teach comedy, but you can teach funny people to be stand-up comedians. There are a lot of funny people who start off doing it and it can be pretty horrible and not everybody gets through it. But a course like the one here gives them a chance to get the horrible stuff out of the way in the company of friends.”

Frank described receiving the honorary award as “a great honour” and wearing his red and gold gown and black cap after filling Wolverhampton Grand Theatre with laughter as he collected his award, Frank is still singing the praises of gaining a higher education degree.

“Doing a degree made me a human being. It gave me an analytical mind and I don’t think I would have found comedy as easy if I had not done that degree. The actual skills I had gained applied to all sorts of other things in my life.”

For more information on all Frank’s projects visit: www.frankskinnerlive.com

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Cooking Class Wolverhampton-born Nigel Slater, cook, author, columnist and broadcaster, returned to the city to be presented with his honorary degree. He tells WLVdialogue about his remarkable career and memories of growing up in the city.

N

igel Slater’s recent BBC show Simple Suppers took everyday ingredients, including leftovers, and turned them into tempting but easy to accomplish meals.

The classic cook’s back to basics approach shows that a great dish doesn’t have to be complicated. While many modern chefs strive to create unusual new flavour combinations, Nigel firmly believes tried and tested always works best.

“I think every recipe has been imagined,” he says. “We are now going back on ourselves.

“For me, cookery writing is about what you know and are comfortable with, but putting a slightly different slant on it. I think very traditionally about cooking; I’ve never done the wacky stuff.”

Nigel was brought up in Wolverhampton and was delighted to receive an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters from the University’s School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure in recognition of his many achievements.

Accepting his award at the Grand Theatre, where he fondly remembers watching the annual pantomime as a child, he told graduates: “Don’t limit your horizons.”

He thanked his junior school teacher Philip Staley for inspiring his love of words and said: “He encouraged me to understand the joy of words on the page, both reading them and, later, writing them.”

Nigel began cooking at an early age and it was his careers teacher who suggested he pursue it as a vocation.

“I remember him looking at my results and saying: ‘Have you ever thought about going into catering?’.”

He adds: “Catering was what you did if you were not very academically well off. The thinking was that you would always have a job and you’ll always eat. It was very different back then.”

He worked in various restaurants from the age of 16 before moving to London, becoming a recipe tester and a cook for food photography.

In 1988, he joined Marie Claire magazine as the food editor and by 1993 he was writing about food in a column for the Observer’s Life magazine. He became the principal writer for the Observer Food Monthly supplement and his first book, Real Fast Food, sold over a million copies.

Yet he insists much of his career has been a “happy accident”.

“It’s the most extraordinary thing,” he says.

“It’s so easy to go through life saying you can’t do something, but really you can.

Mr Staley was also there for Nigel when, aged just nine, his mother passed away.

“When you say ‘yes’ to things, life becomes easier. I thought I couldn’t write a book, but I got pushed and we came up with the idea for Real Fast Food.”

“When my mother died, he was the teacher who had to deal with the stuff teachers don’t think they’ll have to deal with when they go into it. His support was incredible.

He remembers Mr Staley encouraging him to write when he was at Woodfield Avenue Junior School in Wolverhampton.

“I remember turning up for school not in uniform because my dad didn’t know how to do the washing.” Mr Staley just took him to one side and explained that he understood but that it would have to be sorted out soon.

“He was very important to me because he got me reading and writing. I was practically allergic to poetry before he came along.”

The teacher must have spotted some star potential in Nigel which made him hold on to his work. Just two years ago, he sent his former pupil a package with an essay he had written about a cat and a drawing he had done of his house.

“I was so thrilled to get it; it was a joy to receive,” he says.

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Nigel has written movingly of growing up in Wolverhampton in his frank, bestselling autobiography Toast: The Story of a Boy’s Hunger, which focuses on his love of food, his childhood and his family relationships.

While he thought his mother disliked cooking, he has since realised it was her illness taking its toll and that she was trying to protect him from the truth.

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“Mum was a family cook. I thought she didn’t like cooking but I didn’t know she was very poorly and it was exhausting for her.”

He rarely returns to Wolverhampton but he and his brother came back to the city a few years ago when their last remaining relative there died.

“We went to look at our old house. It was exactly the same, even with the same privet hedge.”

They didn’t feel they could ask to go in but some time later the owners got in touch and invited him to come and look round. He did this as part of a TV show, ‘Eating With...’, tracing his childhood and examining how food changed his life.

Relishing the opportunity to revisit his old home, he was astounded that the cupboards his father had made were still there in tact, more than 30 years later. The memories came flooding back.

“It was a place that had been very happy but became very sad after my mother died,” he says. “That doesn’t mean my memories of Wolverhampton are sad. As you get older it’s the good bits you remember most; all the bad stuff goes into one lump and doesn’t really matter any more.”

“Stick a chicken in the oven. It really can’t go wrong and you can use the leftover bones to make soup afterwards.”

Nigel considers himself lucky to have a career he enjoys so much and still loves writing his Observer column. He said receiving his honorary award was: “the icing on my little cake”.

For more information on Nigel’s work visit: www.nigelslater.com

He modestly maintains that he is an amateur cook but the phenomenal success of his books means his place in the nation’s kitchens should never be underestimated.

As the University’s new semester is underway, some students may be faced with the prospect of cooking for the first time. For them, or anyone who doesn’t know their pots from their pans, Nigel dispenses this advice:

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True to the ethos of the simple suppers which are the trademark of this traditional but inspirational cook.

“For me, cookery writing is about what you know and are comfortable with, but putting a slightly different slant on it.”

Knowledge

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is power

business

D

ifficult financial times in recent months have led to a downturn in business and a tougher jobs market.

But the University of Wolverhampton‘s success in the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) initiative is proving to be a recession-buster, helping both business and graduates.

A £24.3 million cash injection is now set to increase its activities even further and help secure a future for firms across the Midlands.

Wolverhampton will lead a consortium of 12 regional universities who will work with companies on projects to increase their competitiveness, productivity, performance and ultimately safeguard jobs.

The funding, from Advantage West Midlands, the European Regional Development Fund and the Technology Strategy Board, will enable regional KTPs to increase threefold. It is part of £40 million support to help stimulate and increase levels of innovation in small and medium sized businesses across the West Midlands.

The money is being invested in seven ‘Solutions for Business’ products – the Government’s suite of public funded business support products – which help businesses to develop their innovative capacity.

Pat McFadden, Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills and MP for Wolverhampton South East, believes the investment will make a huge difference to the region and has stressed the importance of links with higher education.

He says: “It brings universities and business together, which is very important in shaping our industrial future.

“To succeed in this hi-tech, low-carbon economy of the future, to drive growth and to secure more high-value jobs in the UK, we need to create the best possible conditions in which UK businesses can thrive;

removing barriers to success and offering targeted support to unlock new potential in existing and new technologies.

“Universities and business working together through partnerships such as this can benefit the economy of the West Midlands.”

A KTP serves to meet a core strategic need and to identify innovative solutions to help that business grow. KTP is proven to deliver significant increased profitability for business partners through improved quality and operations, increased sales and access to new markets.

The companies involved benefit from the skills of a graduate who will work on a core project, supported by an academic mentor. They will also have access to all resources available at the university.

The initiative enables companies in the region to remain competitive and gives graduates an opportunity to launch their careers.

The benefits of KTPs are clear from the testimonials of participants and the increased profits of the companies involved. Linking academia and business is vital for future success.

Businesses aware of the initiative are starting to look ahead, beyond the challenging economic climate. One construction company has recently taken on a KTP graduate, despite difficult times in the industry, in order to plan to meet the demand once the country starts to come out of the recession.

Already top in the Midlands for the number of KTPs delivered and second nationally, the University of Wolverhampton is ideally placed to drive forward the regional development of the initiative.

The University will take the lead in establishing partnerships, transferring knowledge and building the capabilities of local companies.

The consortium will work together in hitting Knowledge Transfer Partnership targets both regionally and nationally.

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Wolverhampton will also develop and lead a regional marketing campaign to promote the benefits to business of working with their local University.

Marc Fleetham, the University of Wolverhampton’s Regional KTP Manager, is looking forward to building on the successful existing work.

“The award of this contract is a boost to the region’s economy and to the University. The increase in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships from the current position of 70 to over 200 will embed the skills and knowledge of West Midlands universities into companies enabling them to face the challenges ahead due to the current economic downturn.”

Any companies who want to find out more should call: 0800 068 5023.

KTP FACTFILE • KTP is a UK-wide programme which aims to help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills.

• The funding announcement means the number of partnerships in the region should treble from 70 to 210 over the next three years.

• KTPs can vary in length from one to three years (Classic KTP) and from 10-40 weeks (Shorter KTP) depending on the needs of the business and desired outcomes.

• On average, participating businesses can expect to increase annual profits by around £227,000 before tax.

• The University of Wolverhampton currently manages 31 Classic KTPs and seven Shorter KTPs. • The KTP Regional Programme is partfunded by Advantage West Midlands, the European Regional Development Fund and the Technology Strategy Board.

Enterprise En

exchange

Professor Ian Oakes, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise, is responsible for promoting the University’s research agenda and developing knowledge transfer activities. He initially worked in the automotive industry and has held a number of senior management posts in higher education. He joined the University of Wolverhampton last year.

His research interests have included developing models of world class performance in small manufacturing companies and have focused on the role of university-business collaboration in influencing regional innovation.

T

he University of Wolverhampton has a successful track record in research and enterprise. How do you see these areas developing in the future?

The University of Wolverhampton has a strong regional reputation as a capable delivery organisation for Knowledge Transfer activities in the region. It is recognised as the regional leader for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) and has been instrumental in the formulation and co-ordination of regional HEI Knowledge Transfer activities. The quality of this work has been recognised on several occasions through the Lord Stafford Awards for innovation and enterprise.

A key component of the University’s success has been the development of staff capacity, the establishment of a Business Development and Enterprise infrastructure and the appointment of Business Development Managers embedded within the Schools.

Whilst this strategy has been highly successful over the last five years, it is now necessary to review it and make appropriate changes if we are to continue to be successful in the future.

In particular, it is important that the value of Enterprise and Knowledge Transfer activities is recognised and they are fully integrated with teaching and research activities. Through this development, teaching and research activities will find wider value and yield greater impact.

A new Innovation and Enterprise Strategy will use the strategic elements and lessons learned in the past and amend them in light of changing circumstances in the future.

Covering the period 2010-2015, the strategy will maximise the potential of the University to become an exemplar in its engagement with business, industry and the professions.

By doing so, we will create a more enterprising culture across the University, have a positive impact on industry, business and the community and create a financial surplus for the University.

What is the key to successful universitybusiness collaboration?

A University-wide business engagement model with a clear, coherent and consistent product offering in the market place with strong linkages between these activities and research and teaching within the University, generating benefit to staff, students and business partners.

How important is the University’s role in supporting and regenerating the regional economy?

Universities are considered to be a primary source of the most valuable assets in the knowledge economy, namely educated people and new ideas. They generate new knowledge, absorb knowledge created elsewhere and diffuse knowledge into the economy.

Knowledge and skills transfer between universities and business is now recognised as being strategically important to regional economies. Universities are now considered to have a role to play in fostering growth, establishing new companies, working with existing companies in applying new technologies, as well as increasing the professional and technical skills levels of the workforce.

The University of Wolverhampton is a major provider of Knowledge Transfer activities for business and the wider community both in the region and elsewhere.

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In addition, the University is engaged in promoting innovation and enterprise in the Black Country, Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire. The University also has a number of centres and institutions that provide services to individuals and businesses for high level skills development, business incubation and start-up including; a Continuing Professional Development company (i-CD Ltd), an ICT business incubator (e-Innovation Centre), a Creative Industries incubator (SP/ARK), a Student Placements programme for Entrepreneurs in Education (SPEED) and an Institute for Innovation and Enterprise.

What do you feel are the main challenges in your area at present?

Regional and local funding streams will alter substantially in the future, partly due to the recession and partly due to changing Government priorities. The role of the Regional Development Agency is expected to change with more responsibility and funding being delivered to the local authorities.

In the past, the University of Wolverhampton has been particularly successful in attracting funding, both revenue and capital, from the RDA, Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and Government Office West Midlands (GOWM).

However, there has been little engagement with local authorities. Funding from Advantage West Midlands for new developments in the future is likely to be severely restricted following public sector funding cuts with the majority of funding available being allocated to those projects already in progress.

What do you feel has been your greatest personal achievement?

I hope this is yet to come.

business

The University supports a number of initiatives to increase graduate employability. What key attributes give our graduates a competitive edge?

It is vital that our graduates are able to demonstrate to prospective employers that they are innovative and enterprising coupled with an ability to apply their knowledge and understanding to changing circumstances and environments.

Who do you admire and why?

I tend to admire people who have shown courage and bravery in the face of adversity.

One person who always springs to mind is Mohammed Ali for his fight against racism and his courage in the boxing ring.

What are your other interests?

My leisure interests include horse riding, martial arts and keep fit.

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What ambitions do you have for the future?

To help the University become even more successful and acquire the recognition we deserve for the excellent work we do.

Distance Di I

f asked what they know about the island of St Helena, most people would be forgiven for knowing very little, or having a vague recollection from history lessons of a connection with Napoleon.

The small island in the South Atlantic was indeed the place where the infamous French Emperor spent the last six years of his life in exile. Today, the quiet island still poses a challenge to reach, as it has no airport and takes around a week to travel to by boat. But in other areas things have moved on and the Internet has transformed the lives of the 3,500 inhabitants of the British colony.

However, in 2003 when the University of Wolverhampton’s Centre for International Development and Training (CIDT) first started working with the St Helena Education Department (SHED) there was still a great need for outside help, as there was no access to further or higher education on the island and the school system needed modernisation.

CIDT hopes to secure funding to take forward the second phase of the St Helena Education Sector Support Programme. The contract with the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) would enable University experts to build on the success of the first phase of the project, which it managed from 2003 to 2008. The main aim was to set up and support the provision of vocational education on the island and transform the education system for primary and secondary school pupils.

learning

The team now aims to focus again on secondary education and to build on the use of IT in teaching and learning.

Philip Dearden is the Head of CIDT. He says: “A significant focus of Phase One was improving the quality of education, particularly vocational education, in preparation for the then planned airport. As a small island with limited resources, reinvigorating the education system held many challenges. Not least was the three to seven days travel required to reach the island.”

As well as the difficulties in reaching the island, the public transport system is fairly new and described as limited. Despite the challenges, Phase One was very successful. The CIDT team supported the St Helena Education Department in setting up a vocational education system for adults, as well as school pupils. Primary education was restructured, which included working with the teachers to adapt the UK curriculum to make it more relevant to the St Helena setting. The number of pupils had rapidly declined in recent years, so schools were amalgamated to increase the efficiency of the teaching provided. Training was given to teachers to develop strategies in areas such as behaviour management and classroom organisation. Information and communication technologies (ICT) were improved and distance and online programmes were introduced.

A number of young islanders receive scholarships to attend universities in the UK. Part of CIDT’s work in Phase One involved supporting the St Helenian students at UK universities to adapt to the very different environment and social context that UK universities represent.

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nsformed into

ol now tra Harford Scho

an all-through

Centre staff provided support to them throughout their studies and with career planning for their return to the island. In addition, British teachers were recruited for one or two year periods to fill the gaps in the education service and provide staff development for the island-based teachers.

Mary Surridge was CIDT’s Programme Manager for Phase One, and was delighted with the results. The success was also recognised by the UK Government, which is responsible for the small overseas territory.

She says: “The final DFID annual review of the programme was extremely positive, showing that we were completely on track for achieving project objectives.”

The proposed airport is now on hold again, but the CIDT team hope to take forward Phase Two of the education project, which would run until 2012.

p

international

St Helena fish

cakes and ric

e meal

Jamestown, St Helena Island

primary school

This time, University staff would be working closely with Shropshire Local Education Authority (LEA), which is one of the highest performing local authorities in England.

Philip is full of praise for the project. “We are very hopeful that we will be chosen by the Government of St Helena and DFID for the second phase of this contract.”

The team has developed a package of support initiatives, which includes seconding St Helena teachers to UK schools to improve teaching practices and developing one-to-one links with schools in Shropshire to provide peer support.

Distance learning would be further developed and ‘on island’ training would be offered by experienced staff from CIDT and Shropshire LEA to build the professional and technical skills of teachers and school management.

In addition, the wider community would be invited to participate in the transformed schools by the development of a system of governance.

The St Helena project is just one of the many diverse projects Philip’s team of 15 staff are working on at CIDT. At any one time, staff can be in Syria, Ghana, Rwanda and China, among other countries. The main aim of CIDT is poverty reduction by helping developing countries through consultancy and continuous professional development (CPD).

Factbox • St Helena is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, 1,200 miles from the south-west coast of Africa, and 1,800 miles from the coast of South America. The nearest land is Ascension Island, 703 miles to the north-west.

• The Island is 47 square miles, 10.5 miles long and 6.5 miles wide.

• The St Helena pound is fixed at parity with British pound Sterling.

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Philip believes the key to success in St Helena and other initiatives is the staff who work on the projects.

“Our staff believe passionately in what they are doing, and that is what makes us so successful.”

• English is the only language spoken on St Helena, although most St Helenians speak their own dialect.

• The population of St Helena is 3,500.

• The capital and only town is Jamestown, with a population of 884.

• Timing is in line with Greenwich Mean Time all year round.

• St Helena has no airport as yet therefore the only mode of travel is by ship.

• Local food specialities include fishcakes, pilau, coconut fingers, pumpkin pudding and pumpkin fritters.

Opportunities

count

Ian Powell is one of the University of Wolverhampton’s most successful alumni. He tells us about his remarkable career, Black Country roots and dedication to providing opportunities for other graduates today.

“I thought it was a good opportunity for us to continue to invest during the recession.,” says Mr Powell. “I took a decision to continue recruiting and will do so again next year. The economy is in a difficult position but we are a successful business that is still recruiting and investing in the future. We give people brilliant opportunities including the chance to work overseas.”

This summer saw 1,000 graduates join PwC, with more than 100 new recruits from the Midlands.

The process is tough; usually there are up to 14,000 applications but this year saw around 20,000 applicants compete for 1,000 places.

So how can a graduate stand out against so many others?

A

s head of the UK arm of the world’s biggest accountancy firm, it’s hard to believe Ian Powell never had a career plan.

But the PricewaterhouseCoopers Chairman insists his success is down to seizing every opportunity that has been presented to him.

In 1977, Mr Powell joined Pricewaterhouse, before it merged with Coopers, as a trainee after graduating from what was then Wolverhampton Polytechnic.

He stayed with the firm and has worked his way up to the helm. Last year, the other 850 UK partners of the firm voted him in as Chairman. With £2.5 billion revenue in the UK alone and 15,000 staff, PwC, as it is known, is number one among the accountants by revenue and people. And Mr Powell is relishing his role as Britain’s top accountant.

The firm is also the number one graduate employer and continues to create opportunities, despite the economic downturn.

“I would say work hard and get a good degree first of all,” says Mr Powell. “Graduates need to make sure they understand the process of what they’re going into. It’s also important to build on the personal element – anything that shows outstanding team work or leadership.”

He admits that the competition is very tough: “Some of the people who apply have done more by the time they’re 21 than I had when I was 30.”

Sedgley-born Mr Powell, a father-of-four, enjoys coming back to the region, where his mother and sister still live, and taking his boys to watch his team West Bromwich Albion. He has fond memories of his upbringing and is proud of his Black Country roots.

“I look back on my childhood like so many people do – always sunny, playing football.

These are the things you remember.”

He also values the time he spent in Wolverhampton as a student. “I had a really good time. Although I was local we lived in a flat in Tettenhall. There was such an interesting

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mix of people from everywhere – Zimbabwe, Brunei, Greece.

“I really enjoyed my economics course. It was very academic and gave me a good background and understanding. I can remember my lectures with David Hafide and Professor John Trudgill.”

He also credits the region with sparking his interest in manufacturing when he worked for PwC in Birmingham and saw how companies such as Goodyear worked.

Mr Powell is positive about the recovery of the economy but believes it will be a slow process.

“To come through it there has to be a focus on value added. The UK can’t beat Eastern labour rates so has to focus on adding value through technology and creativity.

“I’m confident because as a country we’ve been incredibly creative over the years and that will come through again.”

He firmly believes that partnerships between academia and business are crucial to a successful future.

“To be competitive, you need to have a well-educated workforce and that’s where universities come in. It’s probably number one in terms of importance.”

These are challenging times but Mr Powell sees things differently: “You never really see challenges at the time because you’re just doing what you do. I think there are times when you work incredibly hard but that’s fun if you enjoy your job. I would approach what can be seen as challenges as opportunities.”

In terms of his own career and plans for PwC he says: “I still don’t have a plan. I just want to do this job really well. We’re already number one, but I want to build the firm into something iconic, something really special.”

people

Ian Powell’s Success Secrets: • Take opportunities when they present themselves • Always treat people how you want to be treated yourself • Have a positive mindset • Be interested in people

“To be competitive, you need to have a well-educated workforce and that’s where universities come in.”

• Have intellectual curiosity. Look for opportunities and just enjoy them • Do everything to the best of your ability.

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Grraduate G

success story

Name: Gemma Wright Course: BA (Hons) Media and Communication Studies Year of Graduation: 2003 Millions of viewers enjoy the plot twists and drama of popular TV shows such as Casualty, Doctors and Waterloo Road.

For Gemma Wright, watching these programmes is a different experience, as she has been there for the prop checks, costume changes and re-takes.

Now an Assistant Director, Gemma has built a successful career in television since graduating from the University of Wolverhampton.

Gemma decided to study Media and Communications after attending an Open Day and hearing about the course. She thought it offered everything she was interested in, although at that stage she didn’t know what career she wanted to pursue.

Gemma, who now lives in Bristol, was impressed by the tutors she met, who all had real experience of the media industry. She says she found one particular aspect of the course really useful and this helped to set her on the path to a career in TV.

“I really liked the fact that we had really good guest speakers from the industry, including some top people from the BBC. I got chatting to one of the speakers after a lecture and he asked lots of questions about what I enjoyed.

He said the best thing would be to start as a runner. You learn very quickly in that role what you want to do,” she explains.

Gemma completed two weeks work experience as a runner on the BBC 1 daytime series Doctors. This was a good training ground and led to short-term contracts and extended contracts on the show.

“It was a brilliant first job as everyone who worked on the show was quite young or just starting out, so we were all in the same boat,” she says.

After a year as a runner on Doctors, Gemma went on to work on Channel 4’s Teachers and for the long-running hospital drama Casualty as third Assistant Director, which involves directing all the extras. Over the last four years, Gemma has worked on the BBC 1 series Waterloo Road, popular soap Hollyoaks and the Sky 1 film Skellig.

Gemma says she learnt many skills ‘on the job’, but the course also gave her a good grounding in the media.

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“I learnt the discipline over the three years of study. I gained a general knowledge of the media and knowing what goes on in the industry was really helpful.

“I love the variety of my job - the different people you meet and the strange locations you find yourself in. You can have up to 100 people on set so it is important for everyone to get on well, and you make lifelong friends.

“I feel really proud when I have worked on something and then see it on TV and realise how many millions of people are watching.”

And Gemma has some encouraging words of advice for students following in her footsteps.

“It is a difficult industry to get into, but you should just keep trying. I really do think I got into this career through my degree so I would just say explore every avenue.”

“I gained a general knowledge of the media and knowing what goes on in the industry was really helpful”

What’s on Wh November Free public lecture – Pharmacy: Past, Present and ?? by Professor Rae Morgan, University of Wolverhampton Date: Wednesday, 11 November 2009 Time: 6pm Location: MC001, Millennium City Building, City Campus Contact: The Graduate School on 01902 32 3407 or email: gradschool@wlv.ac.uk.

Contact: Steve Male

News in brief

Email: steven.male@wlv.ac.uk or call: 01902 824295 Website: www.wlv.ac.uk/ businessbreakfast

Inspirational Leadership seminar with Jo Fairley – co-founder of Green and Black’s Date: Thursday, 19 November 2009 Time: 10-12pm with complimentary lunch following Location: Wolverhampton Science Park

Management Research Centre Seminar – Achieving in Business and Education – by Baroness Sandip Verma

Contact: Lina Jarvis on tel: 01902 518964 or lina.jarvis@wlv.ac.uk Website: www.wlv.ac.uk/Lead

Date: Friday, 13 November 2009 Time: 12.30–1pm

December

Location: CA026, Compton Park Campus

Free public lecture – Building Intelligence: Autonomous Characters in Virtual Environments by Professor Qasim Mehdi, University of Wolverhampton

Contact: Stephen Greenfield on 01902 321772 or email: stephengreenfield@wlv.ac.uk

Date: Wednesday, 9 December 2009 Management Research Centre Seminar The forgotten workers? Low paid workers in the public sector, organised by the British Industrial Relations Association Public Sector Study Group.

Date: Wednesday, 18 November 2009 Time: 2–5pm

Time: 6pm Location: MC001, Millennium City Building, City Campus Contact: The Graduate School on tel: 01902 32 3407 or email: gradschool@wlv.ac.uk

Location: CD002, Compton Park Campus

January

Contact: Stephen Greenfield on 01902 321772 or email: stephengreenfield@wlv.ac.uk

Annual Holocaust Lecture – Do we understand the lessons? Martin Stern tells his story

Increase Your Profit over Breakfast – Breakfast presentation for local businesses to learn more about the Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme Date: Wednesday, 18 November 2009 Location: Priorslee Hall, Telford Campus Time: 7.30–9.30am

Date: Wednesday, 20 January 2010 Time: 5pm Location: MC001, Millennium City Building, City Campus Contact: The Graduate School on tel: 01902 323407 or email: gradschool@wlv.ac.uk.

Important note: Please book tickets in advance for this event.

twenty-five

The sweetest healing The latest pioneering research at the University of Wolverhampton involves the unusual ingredient of sugar. Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing Moses Murandu grew up in Zimbabwe and his father used granulated sugar to heal wounds and reduce pain when he was a child. But when he moved to the UK, he realised sugar was not used for this purpose here.

Moses, from the School of Health and Well being, carried out research into the effect of sugar on patients’ wounds at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. He was recently awarded the Fondation Le Lous Scientific Research Innovation Award and £25,000 to enable him to continue his innovative work.

Mr Murandu said: “I was happy for the patients who suffer from terrible and debilitating wounds with little hope of getting better, as this treatment can ease their pain.”

Sugar can be used on wounds such as bed sores, leg ulcers and even amputations. It works because applying sugar to a wound draws the water away and starves the bacteria of water.

Picture: Jacqui Fletcher, Herve Le Lous Board Member, Senior Lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton Moses Murandu and cricketer Darren Gough.

WLV

dialogue

University of Wolverhampton Wulfruna Street Wolverhampton West Midlands WV1 1LY tel: 0800 953 3222* fax: 01902 32 25 17 web: www.wlv.ac.uk/dialogue

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