We worked with Hellen and her team through the ESRC-funded Accelerating Business Collaborations (ABC) programme and funded 17 participants to participate in the Full Switch programme.

The PGRs had a valuable experience, saying they had learned a lot and benefited hugely, including feeling more confident about embarking on their academic and industry career paths. They demonstrated a greater awareness and understanding of commercial concepts and how their knowledge and skillsets were of value to industry. From the outset, Hellen’s rigorous approach to planning and delivery gave me a lot of confidence to support students into the programme. She remained in contact with our team throughout, informing of us progress, developments and any issues and shaped her evaluation to suit our needs and those of our funders. She was an excellent person to work with and I readily recommended the services of Code-Switch to other Universities.

The Code-Switch experience provided really good training to me in terms of what I can do to make my research ‘REF-able’, what I need to do to translate my research into solutions for users in society and to demonstrate impact

My current job involves engaging clients, understanding their pain points, and offering solutions. Although in a different field, this is exactly what the Code-Switch consultancy project I participated in was about. Having the right scientific background for the job was very important, but I believe that showcasing the business competencies that I acquired through my experience with Code-Switch during the interview process gave me the edge to land the position.

I’ve got a job directly as a result of doing the Full Switch Research Consultancy Programme

Thank you Hellen and the Code Switch Consultants for delivering the Quick Switch Industry Engagement Essentials workshops for PGRs at the University of Manchester. PGRs really welcomed and valued your insights and left the sessions feeling more confident and equipped with tools and techniques to put into action.

The Short Switch programme suited the needs of our postgraduate students from across the disciplines, challenging them to think differently about their work and its relevance to the outside world

It was a real pleasure to work with such a brilliant, dedicated team, providing great training and opportunities for early career researchers. We are really delighted with the new skills, knowledge and experience that working with Code-Switch Consultants has allowed our doctoral and post-doctoral researchers to develop.

The project has granted me vital experience in the business sector, and I now feel more than capable to apply for similar positions. Had I not been involved with the Code-Switch project, I might have been more hesitant about stepping into consultancy or project management, questioning my preparedness or suitability. However, now I stand at a different point, one filled with confidence and self- assurance. I have been trained, I have gained experience, and I feel competent.

The Full Switch programme significantly enriched my knowledge and enhanced my confidence. Currently, as I navigate my postdoctoral journey, this programme has provided me with a reassuring backup plan. Should I choose to venture beyond academia or face an unexpected end to my contract, I am now well-equipped to transition into the consultancy field.

The Full Switch programme emphasised the power of organisation and project management and it convinced me that Ph.D. programmes should include project management as a core module. The structured approach of project management expedites tasks and streamlines workflows even in academia’s flexible timelines

Working in academia has become so difficult, while the private sector clearly lacks knowledge about how researchers can contribute to a wide range of organizations and businesses. So much can be done to improve that situation. Hellen and her programme Full Switch™️ have been a huge help in expanding my career as a researcher beyond academia. All universities should have such a programme!

Hi Hellen, I wanted to say how pleased I was to work with you and Code-Switch Consultants. Your professionalism, dedication and enthusiasm were much appreciated by me and by our researchers. The support you gave them was of a high standard, they were fully engaged with the programme and gave very good feedback on the involvement of Code-Switch.

Code-Switch Consultants provided an enlightening and useful practical experience for a number of PhD students from a range of faculties at Bristol on the full-switch programme. The level of challenge and support was pitched just right for this demographic. One of the biggest learnings was that you can flex your skills to contribute to a project or industry that doesn’t necessarily align to your narrow research field and still gain satisfaction. This is transformative for the confidence of many PGR students.

I was delighted with Code-Switch’s approach to this training. There was a brief misunderstanding at this end around which Hellen was extremely accommodating, and the feedback from programme participants was excellent. The proof of the pudding will, of course, be the number of attendees who adopt a consultancy career, but I have every confidence in the training to have suitably supported such a step!