Powered By Herts

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Latest episode

Mar 2026

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About the show

Herts graduate Bre McDermott-King speaks to some of the University of Hertfordshire’s most ambitious and driven graduates, to find out how they overcame some of their biggest challenges and how they achieved their professional success. Bre also chats to some of the University’s own experts, to learn how you can power your career or business and reach your full potential.

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12 recent

March 27, 2026Episode 118 min

Manjeet Ghataora OBE: the most senior Sikh in the British Armed Forces

Manjeet Ghataora OBE is a Wing Commanderin the RAF and the most senior Sikh serving in the British Armed Forces. A Herts aerospace engineering graduate, Manjeet has built an extraordinary career and is recognised for his outstanding outreach work, which he delivers to young people and communities in some of the most underrepresented areas of the country.In this episode, he discusses his time as a student at Herts, his career, and offers his expert advice to engineering students and graduates.

September 25, 2025Episode 520 min

How to ace an interview – tips from a JLR recruiter

Job interviews are a vital part of the recruitment process but can be a daunting experience. However, with the proper insight and enough practice, anyone can ace them!Manoj Somaratne is the Lead Engineer in Durability and Robustness at JLR. He also facilitates JLR's close relationship with the University of Hertfordshire. Having worked in industry for several years, Manoj has experience with the interview process as both a candidate and interviewer. He spoke to Bre McDermott-King in the University's Careers and Employment Service about what he's learnt of the interview process and advises on how students and graduates can ace them! Graduates from the University of Hertfordshire can access free support from the Careers and Employment Service for up to four years after they complete their studies. Visit Ask Herts to find out more.

August 5, 202516 min

How Dr Abigail Martin created a lung in a dish

Dr Abigail Martin’s journey from scientist to Director began at the University of Hertfordshire.During her PhD, Abigail developed an innovative in-vitro human lung model to test the effects of inhaled chemicals and particles - offering a more ethical and reliable alternative to animal testing. Working under the supervision of Herts Professor Victoria Hutter, she built a working prototype.In 2019, the two co-founded ImmuONE, a University of Hertfordshire biotech spin-out company that helps businesses test their products and bring them to market. Since its launch, ImmuONE has secured millions in funding to support its growth and development.In this episode, Bre joins Abigail at the ImmuONE labs in Stevenage to talk about her time at Herts and her journey from research to entrepreneurship.

May 23, 2025Episode 336 min

Hamid Ibrahim: creating Iwájú

Inspired by classics like The Lion King, Hamid Ibrahim wanted to make his own mark on the creative industries. He came to Herts and completed a BA (Hons) Digital Animation degree in 2017 before joining the Moving Picture Company. There, he worked on blockbusters such as the live-action remakes of Dumbo and The Lion King.Hamid wanted to create stories inspired by African culture and history, which led to him co-creating Kugali Media. The company made history when, in 2024, it released the sci-fi series Iwájú on Disney+. Iwájú has since been nominated for several Children's and Family Emmy Awards.In this episode of Powered By Herts, Hamid talks to Bre about his time at Herts, creating Kugali Media and Iwájú, and how he's driving the African creative industries forward.

February 27, 2025Episode 242 min

Zainab Alema: smashing barriers as 'The Bulldozer'

Nicknamed 'The Bulldozer', rugby player Zainab Alema is known for her physical playstyle and breaking barriers. Throughout her career, the University of Hertfordshire graduate has paved the way for Black and Muslim women to get into the sport. She was the first person to play Premiership Women's Rugby wearing a hijab when she made her debut for Leicester Tigers and set up Studs in the Mud, a charitable project supporting grassroots rugby in Ghana. In this episode of Powered By Herts, Zainab talks about her time at Herts, her extraordinary career, and why it's important to encourage those from minority backgrounds to give rugby a go.

December 20, 2024Episode 131 min

Recovering from a stroke to achieve a first

During the first year of his BSc (Hons) Mathematics with Economics degree at Herts, Ben Spires suffered a near-fatal brain haemorrhage that left him unable to walk or talk. His recovery would take years, and he had four goals he wanted to achieve: return to university, get a job, play football and drive again. Doctors said it would be impossible for him to achieve all these goals. But in 2022, Ben attended graduation after receiving a first-class degree. He had achieved all his goals. Ben spoke to Alex Best, Alumni Relations Officer at the University of Hertfordshire, about how his resilience, perseverance and self-belief helped return him to a normal life.

April 18, 2024Episode 620 min

Studying abroad: an international student’s guide

Studying in a different country is an exciting experience, but being away from home can be challenging too. Rida Shafqat embraced her time as an international student from Pakistan when she enrolled at the University of Hertfordshire in 2017. During her time at Herts, she became President of Hertfordshire Students’ Union, and she is now CEO of AR Consultants, an education consultancy based in the UK.In this episode, Rida speaks to Bre about her time at Herts and gives her advice to those looking to study abroad.

April 11, 2024Episode 539 min

Climbing Everest: becoming the youngest African to reach base camp

Climbing the Earth's highest mountain is a formidable challenge - even for the most experienced climber. Those scaling it are risking their lives. But at 17, Herts graduate Farida ElSharkawy did just that and became the youngest African to reach base camp. Farida had to battle her mind and body to complete this fantastic achievement. She sat down with Bre to talk about the harrowing but triumphant expedition and her professional life since graduating from the University of Hertfordshire's partner institution, INTI International University in Malaysia.

April 4, 2024Episode 427 min

How to start your own business

Raphael Sofoluke is an impressive businessman. A few years after graduating from Herts, Raphael founded the UK Black Business Show and UK Black Business Week to champion fellow Black entrepreneurs and showcase talent from the Black community. In 2020, Forbes named Raphael one of their 25 leading Black British businesspeople to follow, and he is now an Entrepreneur in Residence at Herts, where he supports students and graduates looking to follow in his footsteps. Raphael joins Bre on the Powered By Herts podcast to talk about how to start and run a successful business. *THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED ON 14 MARCH 2024* To find out more about the enterprise support available at Herts, visit: https://www.herts.ac.uk/for-business

March 28, 2024Episode 336 min

Navigating the job market

Getting a graduate job can be tough; the job market is highly competitive and can be volatile. What can you do to stand out from the crowd? In this week’s episode, Bre is speaking to Jo Eaton, an expert from the University’s Careers and Employment Service, to find out what their top tips are for landing that first graduate role or progressing in your chosen career. You can follow the University of Hertfordshire's Careers and Employment Service on Instagram (@uhcareers) and TikTok (@uhcareers).