Student Employability and Opportunities Manager
Jen Little BSc (Hons) PGDip AFHEA
jen.little@solent.ac.uk
Professional background
With a strong background in employability and careers advisory roles, I manage the careers and advice, placements and professional mentoring team here at Southampton Solent University, focusing on student success and career development. My experience spans recruitment consultancy and higher education, where I have worked to enhance student employability through personalised guidance and strong employer partnerships.
Student Employability Adviser
Mhairi MacMillan
mhairi.macmillan@solent.ac.uk
Professional background
My career to date has been really varied and I have worked in different industries in different roles that span from recruitment to marketing. Each role has given me the opportunity to develop different skill sets and has enabled me to keep evolving and learning, which I love.
How I help students
My passion for helping and supporting people led me to Southampton Solent University and I use my knowledgebase and experience to provide students with a broad range of employability support, hopefully helping them in their journey to understand, realise and work towards their career goals. It’s the best part of our job to feel like we have had a positive impact on shaping who our Solent students become during their time here, and also once they graduate.
Student Employability Adviser
Ruhina Noory
ruhina.noory@solent.ac.uk
Professional background
My passion has always been to work with other people to help them reach their potential. Over the years, I've had the opportunity to work with our wonderful students and graduates, providing invaluable employability and enterprise one to one and group training and advice on enterprise activities and building on their employability knowledge and skills to enhance their career prospects. In addition, I lead on and coordinate different employability projects, working with a range of academics and students including international students.
How I help students
I work directly with the students and recent graduates both online and in person though 1-2-1 meetings and delivering central careers workshops, providing careers information and advice on CVs and job application process, finding work, start-ups, placements and graduate work. The experience of working in higher education in the last five years combined with my psychology background, has immensely helped me to learn more about myself and others. I guide students towards greater self-awareness and encourage communication to support and motivate them in their career journeys.
Careers Adviser
Victoria Simpson BA(Hons), PGCE, PGDipCG, RCDP, PGCLT(HE), FHEA
victoria.simpson@solent.ac.uk
Professional background
I have been a careers adviser for over 20 years, providing one-to-one employability information, advice and guidance to all ages, and offering expertise in the design and delivery of career learning experiences within compulsory, further, and higher education. My career path of educational and occupational experience has included: undergraduate and postgraduate study at four universities; roles as a secretarial 'temp', personal assistant, and human resources administrator for a diverse range of private and public sector organisations; planning and facilitating learning in secondary schools as a teacher of religious education; and a transformational year working as a community service volunteer in an area of high deprivation, supporting vulnerable adults with complex mental health needs.
How I help students
Using vocational guidance and counselling skills, I enable individuals to identify and explore career options, aspirations and graduate opportunities; encouraging them to build confidence, recognise capabilities, and grow connections; and empowering students and alumni to become 'career-ready' to achieve positive graduate outcomes. Using career pedagogy and labour market intelligence, I design and deliver careers education within and alongside the curriculum; facilitating employability workshops, and collaborating with colleagues to embed directed, collaborative, and guided career learning activities into course content within the University's virtual learning platform.
Careers Adviser
David Whistance
david.whistance@solent.ac.uk
Professional background
Before joining Solent Careers, I enjoyed working as a careers adviser in places such as the University of Southampton, University of the Creative Arts, and National Careers Service. I also provide counselling to people who live in and around Southampton (and further afield over video) and run creative counselling workshops for trainee and experienced therapists.
While I’m particularly proud of leading on projects such as developing Future Me, our holistic career learning resource, creating this would not have been possible without help from my fantastic colleagues within Solent Careers, Solent Creatives, and the wider University.
How I help students
Are you confused about what to do after university, or have a plan but keep hitting problems along the way? If so, my careers adviser colleague, Victoria, like me, would love to meet you for confidential and impartial discussions to help you sort through your career issues on your way to creating a great career.
Mentoring and Projects Coordinator
Ryan Boothroyd
ryan.boothroyd@solent.ac.uk
Professional background
I have 11 years in the higher education sector in various backgrounds from course administration, student records, assessment administration, placement management and my current role, as a mentoring and projects coordinator in Solent Careers. I bring a wealth of experience in delivering student success across all my roles within York St John University, the University of York, University of Portsmouth and now here at Southampton Solent University. I enjoy seeing how students succeed and aim to see students excel once graduates and achieve their aspiration of achieving their graduate role once finishing university. Further to this, I'm the current Chair of the LGBT+ Staff Network and volunteer for various organisations outside of work.
How I help students
My main focus as a mentoring and projects coordinator within Solent Careers is to see students matched with an external mentor within the field that students wish to go into once they leave university. My role is to ensure that students will acquire the knowledge, skills and advice from mentors who possess a wealth of experience in their respective field. The professional mentoring programme will help build confidence and self-esteem and will be a vital tool in areas such as practicing interview techniques, learning how to successfully network and for those wishing to start their own business or be self-employed, how this can be done successfully. Within careers mentoring, I help students feel empowered to enter the world of work once their studies are complete by having such an invaluable experience as a mentee.
Placements Coordinator
Grace Holmes
grace.holmes@solent.ac.uk
Professional background
I have been in higher education for over 10 years working in various departments such as estates and facilities, admissions and placements. My previous experiences within professional, statutory, and regulatory bodies (PSRB) placements has helped me when moving into my role as placement coordinator in the Solent Careers Team, by establishing a placement process to enhance the student experience.
How I help students
In my role I am here to support students along their placement journey, which starts with facilitating an introduction to placement workshops, providing advice on the placement search and the process, and preparing students for starting their placement. My focus is to encourage as many students as possible to complete some type of placement during their time at university, to gain valuable workplace skills and knowledge to use post-graduation.
