Seth Townley
Dicipline:
Culture, Environment and Sustainability
Now: Development, Environment and Cultural Change
Grade:
Master's
Graduation HF:
2016
Position:
Director of Strategic Resource Planning and Product Development
Employer:
The Open University (open.ac.uk) UK
– Describe the most important tasks you have in your job today
– I work for the United Kingdom’s largest university, The Open University. We are an open distance learning institution. This means we have no entry requirements and most of our students study remotely, using print and multi-media digital course material produced by the university and interacting with their tutors and peers online. I lead a department within the university that partners with our academic faculties to produce all our courses. My job is quite varied, and on a given day I might be dropping in on our team of video and audio producers in our purpose-built studios, travelling over to our print and distribution centre from where we dispatch physical course materials, or visiting our innovation team to see the latest immersive simulation or other new initiative they’re working on. That is all alongside the multiple meetings I must attend, and many hours spent with my head in an Excel spreadsheet, of course!
– What do you like best about your job?
– I am proud to work for the Open University and of the impact we have on society, removing barriers to higher education and changing the lives of people who might otherwise not have the opportunity to study at this level. I like working with so many talented and inspiring people who are all driven by that mission. What I specifically enjoy about my current role is that it requires me to think beyond what is needed to provide a high-quality distance learning experience today and look ahead to how this might change in future, making sure that we are planning and budgeting for how to meet evolving needs in a rapidly changing world.
– How is the education from The Faculty of Humanities relevant in this job?
– I don’t think a day goes by where I don’t draw on an aspect of the skills I developed while studying in the Faculty of Humanities. My master’s degree helped me develop the ability to interpret and critically assess large volumes of information, enabling better informed, evidence-led decisions. Theoretical frameworks for understanding societal dynamics can also come in handy when trying to make sense of what happens in large, complex organisations like universities. Above all, a humanities education helps you see the world from different and useful perspectives. This is essential when your job involves constructing arguments and discussing solutions to complicated problems, to which there are no straightforward answers, with a diverse group of stakeholders.
– What’s your best tip for new students who are thinking about job opportunities after graduation?
– It can seem daunting trying to enter the jobs market in the current time of rapid technological change and shifting needs of employers. My best tip would be to not lose heart – there is a job out there for you – and to think broadly and creatively about how you can apply your skills and knowledge to a professional setting. Look beyond just the jobs that are immediately relevant to your studies. Unless you’re going into research or have done a vocational degree, you’ll be lucky if you find an employer that is simply looking for someone with expertise in the area you studied. This isn’t to say your subject knowledge won’t benefit you once you’re in your job, but employers are often looking primarily for the organisational, critical thinking and communication skills you’ll also have honed during your studies. What employers need above all are employees who remain curious and can continue to learn and develop with the changing times.