Spotlight on: Supervising at Manchester

Steven was the first team member from Security Services to complete our Supervising at Manchester programme. He was subsequently successfully interviewed for a Security Supervisor role. 

Tell us a bit more about your role, and why you applied to Supervising at Manchester 

“I have worked at the University for seven years as a Patrol Officer and now Security Supervisor. With a population of 40,000 students and 12,000 staff, it can get very busy, and it is my duty to provide a safe and secure working environment where staff, students, and visitors can go about their day safely. 

“Over the past four years, I have been working towards becoming a Supervisor. I applied to Supervising at Manchester because it offered an opportunity to identify areas for self-development and meet people in similar roles. I’ve also taken on more responsibilities, all of which have assisted me in recently becoming successful and gaining promotion.” 

What time commitment was involved? 

“Each module or mandatory training course stated the number of training hours needed to complete them, this helped me to plan this around my working day. The whole course requires completion over a 12-month period which is great, as again you can plan and prioritise your commitment to the course. 

“I was able to complete the course and fit it in around my daily work schedule with the support of my line manager and senior manager.” 

What was your experience of completing the programme? 

“My experience was good, I had support from the Learning and Development team who were always on hand to give guidance and advice. Although the course was completed remotely, I felt that this did not affect my learning experience.” 

How do you think it will help you in your role and personal development? 

“It has given me the confidence to develop a range of supervisory skills to help me become the best supervisor that I can be. The course has played an important part in my personal development as it allowed me to improve on the knowledge that I already had, and gave me skills that I can now take forward with me throughout my career.” 

Would you recommend the programme to colleagues, and any advice to anyone thinking of applying? 

“I would recommend the course to my colleagues who are looking to develop and progress in their careers. It is a great way to obtain new supervisory skills and learn how to manage a variety of situations effectively. My advice to anyone interested in applying is to think about what supervisory skills you would like to develop before enrolling on the course – you can then target those areas through your learning.” 

• Find out more about Supervising at Manchester and how to apply