Faces of Reading

From day one I found my colleagues welcoming and warm towards me. I have always had some great help and guidance whenever I have found any aspect of my role difficult or if I felt I am stuck. In fact, even though I was working in a temporary position, I was given equal opportunities to work on different projects and apply my knowledge and practical experience to my work. My line managers have been very supportive, and, on many occasions, I have been the lead for some projects as well, which boosted my morale and confidence.

My journey at Reading has now moved to the next phase. From being made permanent in my role, I have now been promoted and I am delighted to continue being a part of the University.

If you ask me how I would define the University of Reading, I will say it is one supportive and inclusive community of people from different cultures – and a world of opportunities to further your personality, skills and career. I look forward to continuing to work on exciting projects, meeting new people and learning something new every day; all being part of this wonderful family called the University of Reading.

In those early weeks, being open about how I felt and what I needed made a real difference – it allowed me to show up with confidence. It helped that colleagues in my wider network were hugely supportive too – genuinely excited to hear about my little one and how he’s settled with us.

Working part time can be intense. You have to be laser-focused and well-planned to get everything done, and there’s often limited time for the 'nice stuff' in the flurry of emails and meetings. But it’s worth it – especially knowing I still have a job I love when my son starts school in September, in a workplace that supports the realities of family life.

My previous job was in retail so it was quite unsociable and involved long hours. My department gives you flexibility, you have to be in for core hours but you can come in early and then you're off again, it's fantastic.

Following the Professional and Administrative Services (PAS) review, I got the job here as Programme Administrator in August 2016. I work with a good group of people - we all bounce off each other, dig in and help each other out.

There is definitely a focus on staff development - I've recently finished the Springboard Women's Development Programme. My manager gave me the time to go on that course because it was important to me and being part of that cohort was really fulfilling.

I'm also an LGBTQIA+ Ally. I've always considered myself a diversity and LGBTQIA+ ally, mainly because I have a brother who is transgender, so it is something close to my heart. As soon as I heard about the Ally programme, I was very keen to be part of it.

The HR team was really helpful in going through my options with me, and my manager helped to make sure my responsibilities were split between the other Business Partners while I was on leave. Because of this, I was able to help my wife, Khrystyna, but I also had the opportunity to get to know my son.

What I found is that going to work is the easy part. At home, you have to dress and feed your child, bathe them and read to them, make sure they sleep and take part in activities. And just being there for them is integral. That time is very hard to achieve when you’re working: you come home, de-stress, and do all the basic necessities, but just spending time with your child is when you really bond with them and see what type of person they’re becoming. Thanks to the University’s flexibility, I got that time with Luke.

Read more about family leave at the University of Reading.