I applied for the role of Eco-Retrofit Manager (KTP Associate) as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between The University of Brighton and the Guinness Partnership. It seemed to be the perfect opportunity to gain first hand experience in industry whilst maintaining support from an academic institution and gaining further qualifications. It did not disappoint! In the two year of my KTP I have attained a Master of Science degree, a Certificate in Management and passed a qualification to become a member of the Association of Project Managers to name just a few, all whilst being paid a full time wage.

It certainly wasn’t easy to fit in all of that work and additional qualifications, there were a lot of long days and nights juggling study and work; however I am sure that the opportunities that were presented to me during my two year KTP would not have been available in any other type of job. It feels like I have been given a head start to my career, having the experience and qualifications of somebody who has been working in industry for at least 5 years. My role within the Guinness Partnership was to run a two year pilot project to improve the energy efficiency of six of the organisation’s offices and develop a plan to rollout energy reduction across the remaining offices. Working closely with my company supervisor, Victoria Keen Head of Sustainability and Lead Academic Dr Jon Gates an expert in energy reduction we evaluated the current energy performance of the offices and selected six offices to improve that would provide the greatest learning. By retrofitting these six offices and implementing behaviour change initiatives we were able to make circa £50,000 annual savings and develop a strategy for the rollout of retrofit across the remaining office stock. I now feel as though I am an expert in my field, being invited to talk at national exhibitions and conferences to share my experience.

It is extremely satisfying to see a project such as this through to completion and to witness the benefits of your hard work. Upon completion of my KTP, I was offered a permanent role at The Guinness Partnership, however, regardless of whether the company partner is able to employ the Associate at the end of their contract, I believe that the experience and qualifications that a KTP Associate would hold would make them an extremely strong candidate for any job within their field.

Have you already found the right job for you? Or are you looking for the next step up in your career? 

Either way, we would like your feedback!

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) have been placing graduates with innovative companies for over 40 years.  The University of Brighton has a strong track record in KTP, and we would like to see more University of Brighton graduates applying for our roles – this is a big reason why we are seeking your views.

With a chance to win a £30 Amazon voucher you will help inform our recruitment strategy at the University of Brighton.  We would like to hear your experiences of employment after graduation, what you value in a role, and how you have gone about finding a job after graduation. Your views will make a real difference to how we advertise our vacancies, where we advertise and how we describe our roles.

Please complete the survey here.

Make sure you complete the survey before it closes on Tuesday 1 December!  

By completing this survey you will be entered into a Prize Draw to win a £30 Amazon voucher.  You will also have the opportunity to participate in a focus group to find out more about KTP.

If you would like further information about KTP before completing the survey, please see our website.

If you would like further information on the survey before completing it, please contact ktpjobs@brighton.ac.uk.

Thank you for your time!

1.  What’s your experience with KTP to date?

This is my first KTP which I have joined as the academic supervisor. Current research at the University of Brighton in cryogenics and energy storage naturally led to an involvement with Highview Power Storage.

2. What is your KTP project(s) about and how are you getting involved?

The KTP project is in partnership with Highview Power Storage, based in London. Highview design and develop large-scale liquid air energy storage (LAES) plants. Our involvement in the work focuses on the material selection for the packed beds used for thermal storage and future design tools which can be implemented by the company.

3. What would you say is the best thing about the KTP scheme?

I would say that the best thing about a KTP is the relationship that is formed between industry and academia, allowing both parties to learn new technologies and gain valuable experience.

4. Why do you think the KTP scheme is important to
5. the university

The KTP is a great opportunity for the university to form strong links with industry, working at the forefront of cutting edge research. For example, this KTP has required new experimental methodologies to be developed which can now be applied to academic research. The KTP has required cross disciplinary research between engineering and geology within the university, which adds further dimensions to the applications of this work.

1. companies

The main advantage to the company is access to the knowledge and resources at the university. The aim of the KTP is to answer a question that a company has but doesn’t have the knowledge within the company to answer. For this KTP, the solution required developing experimental methodologies, an area which the university has both the resources and experience in.

1. graduates

The KTP offers a unique chance for a graduate to work within a company, taking leadership of a project. The graduate can integrate themselves into the company, taking on responsibility from the start which is a rare and valuable opportunity in industry. The training budget allows for the graduate to improve and learn anything that they feel is necessary to aid them in their work which, hopefully, builds their confidence. They can also attend courses at the university which include many business and personal development courses.

5. What would you say about the KTP scheme to colleagues who might be thinking about getting involved?

I would recommend the KTP as an excellent way to further academic research and to form links with industry, with both parties benefitting from developing new technologies and techniques. It is exciting to see the application of the work conducted at the university being implemented into developing industrial technologies.

6. If you could use 3 words to describe KTP, what would they be?

Collaboration, development, knowledge.

Click on the image to read what our companies say about KTP.

Click on the image below to find out more about KTP for academics.

Ceres is a world leading developer of next generation fuel cell technology. Based in Horsham, the company employs a team of experts from across a range of industry sectors including engineering, power generation, oil and gas, automotive and materials science.

The company aims to change the way homes and businesses generate their electricity, reducing costs and lowering emissions, through its fuel cell technology.

“We have an affordable fuel cell for the real world, made possible with the use of conventional materials and standard manufacturing processes.” Paul Barnard, Director at Ceres Power.

One challenge in developing low cost products was in understanding the principles governing accurate and durable temperature measurement which would allow them to achieve highly accurate temperature control.

Paul Barnard, Director – Fuel Cell Module Design Authority at Ceres, had worked with Professor Robert Morgan from the University of Brighton on various consultancy projects. In 2013 the company began a KTP with the University of Brighton to bring thermal and fluid dynamics expertise to the company. The KTP in thermometry aimed to measure temperature accurately and reliably at the required product cost point, inside the system.

Paul said: “We knew we had an opportunity to develop our in the knowledge, but also partner with a University and develop a young engineer. We could have done the project internally, but it would have taken much longer. This is a very specialist area, and it’s quite akin to automotive engines and exhaust measurements, so the university’s Centre for Automotive Engineering was a logical partner for us.”

The KTP focussed on testing the thermocouple inside one of the component pipes of the system, to check for accuracy and consistency. Supervised by Professor Robert Morgan, KTP Associate Dr Farzad Barari designed the test rig which is being used to find the critical measurements, parameters and design a solution. Since completing the KTP, Farzad has been employed on a permanenet basis at Ceres Power.

University name – University of Brighton

Company name – GB Electronics

Associate name – Gary Mitchell

Active Timeframe – 05/10/09 – 04/10/12

What the partnership was about – developing and embedding a product design, verification and approval process for diabetes monitoring equipment in a clinical scenario.

What was the WOW factor – Progress in the healthcare sector – the device which was developed for the KTP project has the potential to be lifesaving and will improve quality of life for diabetic patients – it is predicated that around 333 million people will be diagnosed with diabetes globally by 2025. The KTP project also generated the university’s first spin out company (nGauge) which is directed by the Associate.  nGauge is initially taking the device which was designed in the KTP to market, supported in part by SMART and SBRI funding and will also launch a range of company-developed products for the health sector, gaining Medical Device Directive compliance using the process developed in the KTP.