Early Careers and New to HE Collective SIG
About the Early Careers and New to HE Collective SIG
This SIG is a community of staff that is supportive of those new to HE regardless of length of career and position, through guidance and expertise of those experienced in the HE (and adjacent) sector. As a collective, all staff involved will support and provide guidance in navigating the wider HE sector and encourage wider involvement within the association. This SIG supports staff new to HE beyond their institutional transition and exposes colleagues to different institutional roles, departments/areas and types, understand wider policy, and interact wider with other SIGs to bring in expert knowledge to be well-rounded HE staff.
What can you expect from the Early Careers and New to HE Collective SIG?
– A sounding board for staff navigating complex work places and challenges within the sector
– A pipeline for new AHEP members that explores the AHEP member levels and Professional Framework, by acting as an informal collective network, creating connections, sharing job roles for recruitment, building on the ‘intro to HE webinar’, and being a wider pipeline into the PGCert, all in order to retain HE staff as a sector
– Coaching opportunities with the guidance from staff that are not new in HE to share the breadth and wealth of the wider sector
To access more information and become a member of this SIG, sign into your AHEP account. Not an AHEP member? Join now!
Meet the Coordinators
Sandra Mikosinska, Lead Coordinator, Early Careers and New to HE Collective SIG
Student Records Officer
University of East London
My name is Sandra and I am excited to share my journey with you. My career in Higher Education began in December 2022, and I am currently part of the Student Records Team at the University of East London. However, this was not always the case. Before entering the world of HE, I worked in law enforcement and Further Education.
My current responsibilities include everything from enrolment through module registration, to attending progression boards, as well as handling change of circumstances. With almost 40 collaborative partnerships under my care, I also look after some of the more complex on-campus provisions such as Professional Doctorates or apprenticeships. Despite being new to the world of HE, I am eager to explore all areas of the sector that pique my interest. Who knows where this journey will take me? But I am ready for whatever comes my way and this SIG is definitely a good start point for all new and curious about the sector.
Jen Thompson, Deputy Coordinator, Early Careers and New to HE Collective SIG
Employability and Events Coordinator
Lancaster University
Jen is Employability and Events Coordinator at Lancaster University Management School, where she connects students, employers, and academic staff to support graduate success and career readiness. She is also actively involved in research exploring the evolving expectations of Generation Z graduates, informing both her professional practice and wider sector engagement.
As a coordinator of the Early Careers and New to HE Special Interest Group, Jen is passionate about building supportive networks for those at the start of their higher education careers. She also is Network Coordinator for the North West and North Wales regional network, where she plans to develop local knowledge exchanges to encourage cross-institutional learning and collaboration.
Nicola Tagoe, Deputy Coordinator, Early Careers and New to HE Collective SIG
Lecturer/Module Leader
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
My name is Nicola. I have been working in Higher Education since 2016, and am a Lecturer and Module Team Leader at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance. Alongside teaching and supervising students, I lead the TL Augment Fellowship Scheme, supporting colleagues across the institution to pursue Advance HE accreditation, through from Associate Fellowship to Senior Fellowship. I am committed to supporting the development of others, and am an EMCC certified coach, and a trained Action Learning Facilitator. I am thrilled to be collaborating with AHEP and SIG colleagues to co-ordinate the New to HE & Early Careers Collective SIG.