Evaluation manager — Vicky Cotterill

Vicky loves seeing the positive impact her work has on learners through her role at DANCOP, a collaboration of universities and colleges

What degree did you study?

I studied BA Hons Education Studies at the University of Derby and graduated in 2017. I then went on to complete the MA Education, also at Derby, graduating in 2018.

How did you get your job?

I secured a job with DANCOP (Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Collaborative Outreach Partnership) in July 2018 when I was approaching completion of my MA studies. I was looking for a role working in education, where what I did would make a difference. I’m still working at DANCOP and now in my third role with the team.

How relevant is your education degree?

As evaluation manager, I’m responsible for planning effective evaluations of our outreach programmes to contribute to the evidence bank of 'what works' in the education sector and inform strategic planning.

I've found the learning from my degree to be incredibly useful and I've been able to utilise the knowledge from various modules to inform my work. Within my role, I have responsibility for ensuring DANCOP has ethical approval for the evaluation work we do, and I often draw on my experiences of the dissertation process, particularly research methodologies and report writing.

What's a typical working day like?

We have a wide programme of activity and work with schools and colleges across the whole of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, making sure we’re flexible and responsive to their needs.

Any given day could see me liaising with colleagues to design an evaluation approach, building research tools, delivering training, analysing complex data, presenting findings or writing impact reports.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love seeing the positive impact engaging in our activities has for learners and being able to share our successes with national widening access colleagues. Learning from each other is such a strong feature across the sector, as everyone has the same aim of improving outcomes for young people.

What are the challenges?

Sometimes decisions need to be made really quickly and this needs a flexible and adaptable approach, balancing a varied workload with a clear focus on priority tasks.

Where do you hope to be in five years?

I hope to have completed a PhD focused on education and social justice. I would love to be researching and writing about successful approaches to supporting learners that are disengaged or face disadvantage. I love sharing knowledge and learning from others, so that will definitely be a key feature in whatever I’m doing.

What advice can you give to others?

• Be flexible in your job search and look at roles that might not have your specific search terms in their title.
• Consider an entry level role if there is the potential for progression, remember that every experience is an opportunity to learn and develop.

Find out more

• Discover what you can do with an education degree.