Meet the Future Space team
At Loughborough University London, we have a team dedicated to supporting you to gain the skills and experience you need to advance your career.
As the UK’s best university for connecting students to employers (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020), our team ensures our students in London make best use of the diverse network of connections around the UK and globally. Whether you are looking to create a job by starting your own company or consultancy, wanting to network with the best, or are looking to further your academic career the team offers a wide range of personal and professional development activities to support you. Support includes skills sessions, workshops, guest lectures, networking sessions and more.
Not only are our careers and employability activities available as extra-curricular opportunities, we also feed these experiences into the curriculum through the Collaborative Project, the Collaborative Dissertation and more!
You can find the team in our innovation and enterprise hub called Future Space on the Ground Floor of campus.
Find out more about the team below:
Ben Cole
Head of Future Space and Strategic Projects
Ben is our resident East London / East Midlander having a role that not only sees him head up the Future Space team but also drive projects to advance the whole university. Ben regularly hosts events, hacks and workshops to help you connect and build your skills.
Ben over 20 years’ experience working in east London. He was formerly Head of Community at the biggest Secondary School in Tower Hamlets. He has worked for the Learning Trust in Hackney and was part of the team that scaled the UK youth charity Youth Music. You can connect with Ben on LinkedIn and Twitter @bencole9.
Jennie Wong
Interim Project Development Manager - Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDIH)
With over 10 years of experience conceptualising and managing global disability sport and education programmes, Jennie recently joined Loughborough University to manage the Global Disability Innovation Hub's project - Overcoming Stigma though Paralympic Sport.
Ashley Gray
Learning Partnerships Manager
Ashley manages operations on the Collaborative Project - a module which all of our master's students undertake working in an interdisciplinary team to provide solutions to a brief set by real businesses and organisations. He also works to create and enable enterprise collaboration in the form of collaborative dissertations where our master's students work with an organisation as part of their dissertation.
Dan Robinson
Future Space Projects Manager
Dan manages employer engagement projects on our London Campus. As part of the Future Space team, Dan leads on delivery of the Digital Skills Programme, and coordinates delivery of Collaborate and Talent+ activities.
Grace Baird
Senior Support Officer: Student Experience
Grace works as the Senior Support Officer for Student Experience at Loughborough University London.
Careers consultants
Our Careers Consultants offer one to one careers guidance and support to all of our master's students, doctoral researchers and staff. Their support ranges from a 15 minute Quick Advice session for support with your CV, cover letter or job application, 30 minute career consultations which offers you a chance to discuss your career goals, and interview coaching sessions are designed to prepare you for the final and most critical stage of the job application process and last approximately 45 minutes.
Nadine Lewis
Careers Manager
As part of Future Space, Nadine manages the careers service and offers guidance, coaching, and information to students, staff and graduates.
Kadeza Begum
Senior Graduate Futures Consultant
Kadeza is a charity Deputy CEO, Entrepreneur and changemaker. Kadeza works across the Future Space team to lead support around next steps beyond graduation. She offers 121 advice sessions, business acceleration programmes, Hacks and more.
Loughborough Enterprise Network (LEN)
Loughborough Enterprise Network (LEN) are here to help you develop your entrepreneurial skills and broaden your networks throughout your time at Loughborough University London. The LEN team supports students and recent graduates on their enterprise journeys by hosting a range of events, workshops and networking sessions to help you learn entrepreneurial skills or develop your own start-up business venture.
A connected campus
The team works to create a connected campus, locally, nationally and internationally. The staff below are at the forefront of creating these links.
Hayley Jones
Student Enterprise Adviser
Hayley is part of the Loughborough Enterprise Network (LEN) Team. Hayley and Sal work at the London campus to support our student entrepreneurs and innovators. Hayley is an advocate of innovation, enterprise and start-ups, and being able to influence enterprise is her passion.