Matthew Howard (MA Politics, 2014, BA Geography, 2013, Cartmel) enjoyed life at Lancaster University so much that even after graduating, he stayed on campus to take the first important steps in his career. His current role is Deputy Head of the Careers Service at the University of Leeds.

The Burnley-born graduate was the first member of his immediate family to go to university and Lancaster, just 40 minutes from home, suited him perfectly.

“I wanted the independence that the university experience brings without being too far from home and, for me, an important aspect of making the decision to study for a degree was not just the subject but also the environment and student life.

I was really taken with the beautiful green campus at Lancaster, its culture and history but it’s a very modern campus as well. The facilities are excellent and when I was a student, the Learning Zone had just opened and there was the new library space.”

He also appreciated the flexibility of the degree programmes at Lancaster in which students could shape their degrees.

Matthew was impressed by the college-based system too. “I was fortunate to be based in Cartmel College and had a fantastic flat.”

And on the very first day of university life, Matthew formed a bond with people who have continued to be among his very closest friends.

“I was a little bit anxious about becoming a student but having people around that made you feel at home helped me settle in quickly.”

Matthew still meets up with his university friends several times a year and they’ve often returned to campus more than a decade after they graduated.

However, unlike his student friends, after taking two degrees, Matthew discovered another side to university life – as a member of staff.

His studies, which focused on human, economic and political geography followed by an MA in politics including a dissertation on localism, had inspired Matthew’s wish to work in the public sector.

While studying for his MA, he also worked part-time in the library, a front-facing role which provided important experience of working within the university.

He went on to work in the Employment and Recruitment Service on campus, supporting students looking for part-time work experience, before progessing to a role within the University's Management School.

However at one stage he does admit to feeling a bit of imposter syndrome when he managed a team of much more experienced staff, but he benefitted from mentors who helped him to believe he could do well in the sector.

“It’s really important to think about how you can adapt your plan when making career decisions. I made that move and have not looked back. The university sector is a supportive environment.”

Matthew eventually spent several years working at Lancaster, mainly in the Management School as a careers consultant and manager, and achieved a PGDip in career guidance and development at Huddersfield University in 2021.

He left Lancaster in 2022 for his current role as Deputy Head of the Careers Service, which employs 75 people, at the University of Leeds.

This role involves more management, leadership and strategy rather than front facing delivery but the aim is the same - to support today’s students in the decisions which will shape their future - particularly those who may face significant barriers into work owing to their personal circumstances.

“The nature of work has changed a lot and it’s a very competitive job market. Large graduate recruiters are asking a lot more from students and the volume of applications is increasing. AI is also having an impact on the world of work and recruitment.”

Careers services have to adapt to these changes and one development with which 33-year-old Matthew has been involved won the Graduate Futures Institute (formerly AGCAS) Excellence Award for ‘Innovation of the Year’ (2025) for pioneering a delivery of Group Careers Guidance, recognised nationally as sector-leading practice delivering a creative and high-impact approach to student careers support.

This development has proved so successful that the practice has been shared with other universities over the past year, with some piloting their own versions.

While recognising that higher education isn’t for everyone and valuing the importance of apprenticeships, Matthew admits that university was the making of him.

“For me, going to university was the best thing to do as it provided the academic experience that I was looking for and alternative ways of thinking.

I would advise students to make the most of their university experience as it’s three or four years of your life when you can benefit from a great environment and have the opportunity to develop key skills, work independently and enjoy all the social activities which were really good at Cartmel.

It’s also a great time to meet other people from all over the country and the world. Lancaster is a global campus, which I particularly noticed having grown up in East Lancashire where you meet people from very similar backgrounds.”

Ironically, one opportunity which Matthew didn’t take up while a student was attending the Careers Service, though he did visit the careers fair and the Service did review his CV during his second year, which helped to build his confidence.

“If I could go back in time, I would have had a consultation with the Careers Service in my first year and I also wish that I’d had the opportunity to do more work placements as experiential learning is really positive when deciding which career path to take.”

As for Matthew’s future career, he hopes to progress within the university sector despite higher education facing a challenging time.

“The key thing to recognise is sometimes career planning is taken out of your hands and opportunities arise that you’re not expecting.”