Our people
We have a team of dedicated staff who are here to support you through your studies and work with us.
You can find out more about each of our core members of staff below.
Colin Baines
Colin started first work as a technician at Jodrell Bank before working his way through the ranks and landing a role on campus. Colin set the Apprenticeship Programme up with his technical managers network, and is very proud of the programme, the apprentices and their mentors in the Faculty.
Phil Higgins
Phil began his career as a craft apprentice at Ferranti where he specialised in turning for many years and has worked in occupational hygiene - but his true passion has always remained in engineering. Phil joined the University's National Graphene Institute in 2015, managing the Prototyping Room, before becoming involved in the Technical Apprenticeship programme management team, supporting mechanical engineers with advice and guidance.
Hayley Monk
Hayley worked as a Research Assistant in the field of Tissue Engineering before leaving Manchester to spend 10 years as a Tissue Bank Specialist for NHS Blood and Transplant in Liverpool. Returning to the University in 2015, Hayley is now the Senior Technical Operations Manager for Teaching in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. She supports the programme by providing interview coaching and offers advice for any apprentices with additional learning support needs.
Anthony Steel
Anthony trains the apprentices in specific laboratory techniques. He is part of the management team for the apprenticeship programme. He started at the University in 1997 as a Technical Assistant in the School of Biological Sciences Teaching Labs and has worked his way to becoming the Technical Manager for the Stopford Undergraduate Teaching Labs in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health.
Nicola Steel
Nicola is the Pastoral Support Manager for the apprenticeship programme. She is also a Deputy Technical Manager in the Stopford Undergraduate Teaching Labs in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. Nicola started her career at the University as a Laboratory Assistant in the Cells, Immunology and Development Research Labs in the School of Biological Sciences in 1997.
John Whittaker
John has been a senior technical manager or operations director for the last decade, and has always been grateful to technical leaders in the past who allowed him to develop his skills. One of his core incentives on the Technical Apprenticeship Programme is to provide similar inspiration for up and coming technical staff.
Laura-Jane Williams
Laura-Jane spent her earlier years working for the Health Protection Agency, processing various samples from hospitals and GPs before becoming a technician. In 2018, Laura-Jane joined the University as a Technical Apprenticeship Programme Coordinator, where she combines her past skills and love of Apprenticeships to develop apprentices and upskill staff from varying specialisms.