Can you introduce yourself, your role in the university and tell us a bit about your background?
I’m Kane Murphy, I work in the student support office in physics. I’m a grade 4 administrative assistant. I started with the University when I was 17, and I am 25 now because there was a pre-apprentice program advertised by the University. It was for people similar to my age who had either struggled when they’d left school to find a job or further education. I attended that day, put my CV forward, and then I got an interview. I wasn’t being interviewed for a specific position, I got offered among five or six different roles and I picked the School of Physical Sciences. Only because they had the most detail about the role, and I could see that they cared a lot more. I got offered the job in physics and I jumped at it and said yes straight away.
Why did you choose to work in the University of Liverpool?
I had a small hand of cards and there wasn’t a lot going on for me. When I saw the pre-apprentice program, it looked amazing, and it allowed you to obtain certificates and qualifications and do any resits from school alongside working. That’s what caught my eye in the first place. I applied for it and for six months worked while resitting my maths and English from school. It meant instead of going to college to resit, I could earn a wage at the same time, and I have never looked back.
What does a typical workday involve for you?
It changes every single day; it’s subjective to periods too. In term time, it’s a lot busier because there’s the day-to-day firefighting of students coming in. Especially when students are starting in September, if a student hasn’t collected their ID card, if they haven’t got finance or if they haven’t picked their modules, we help them. We also meet students as well as students further into their degrees. Andy (Director of Undergraduate Studies) and I go through and point out any students who are low on attendance and seem to be struggling and reach out to them. It really does change on any given day, but that is the main aspect of what I do: attendance and welfare.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in the Department of Physics?
I was in the main University office, I didn’t mind it, but I knew that I didn’t want to stick it out. It was harder than any other experience I’d ever had, as I mentioned everything I used to do was with undergraduates, so working on postgraduates was unbelievably different so that took a long time for me to adapt to. I always said I wanted to work here in physics because I knew Zoe, who I work with now, prior and had been to all the other departments. I had heard all the good things about the people in the department from her. I knew there were vacancies coming up in the department, so I really tried to force the issue. A few weeks later, I was approached by my team leader, and I was told about an undergraduate role in physics and I literally picked up my laptop the same day and moved over. That was in 2019, so it’s been five years now.
How have your past experiences shaped your approach to your role?
It’s hard to decipher really, I guess knowing what I’ve been through especially when I was leaving school, and everyone had obtained their grades, and I hadn’t. It’s a hard thing to understand when everyone was having their celebrations, and I had no idea what I wanted to do going forward. Any students that come to me who have ever had an issue—for example, failed an exam—I always remind them what can happen and what can be done going forward because that has shaped me to what I am. When it actually happened to me, I really felt like I was at the bottom of the barrel. So, I always remind students, they always have another chance, even if it’s not resitting, they always have a chance to better themselves. You always have to overcome your obstacles and without those obstacles, I wouldn’t be here, so it really makes you who you are.
Did you face any challenges along the way and how did you overcome them?
When I first left school, I went to college for all but two or three weeks, I hated it. I was doing Digital marketing, but it wasn’t quite what it was advertised to be, so I was very passionate about it but when I went through the syllabus, I realised it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing. Then I moved on and ended up in a warehouse in Speke and that was the last thing I wanted to do. I was meant to be doing IT administration there, but I was only working in the warehouse. Then I left there and ended up actually doing IT, where I found out about the apprenticeship at Liverpool. My manager’s wife worked there and promised she’d help me get me in her place doing an apprenticeship. Then I went to the open day and found out they weren’t doing that specific apprenticeship anymore. So, I had three things not fall for me, and three obstacles I had to overcome before I could even start at the University doing what I wanted to do. It was quite challenging for my mental health too because it made me feel like I wasn’t good enough to do what I wanted to do. But it was worth all the time and knockbacks to be here 100%.
How would you describe the environment at the University of Liverpool?
Amazing. Definitely the best I have ever been in by a country mile. I have been through the wringer quite literally with the past few places. I walked through the door at 17 and I was treated like an adult even though I wasn’t actually an adult at that time. I was treated as the same as everyone through all the departments I have worked in, and my treatment here has been superb. I understand that I was younger so there will have been an element of looking out for me but when I was struggling, I could go to people and wasn’t batted away, or shamed for not knowing things already. Now I am on the other end of it when people are starting, and they are coming to me, and I know what it was like back then, so I help everyone as much as possible.
What advice would you give someone considering a career in physics?
It’s different from the other side—administration is worldwide, it can be departmentalised. We’ve just had a new starter in the Student Support Office, Rhianna, and I’ve said there’s always time to go out of your way to help someone and go out of your way to get to know people, and that’s the best approach. Coming into the department, you have to make it like your home. When Rhianna started, we met one-on-one which I always think is beneficial. If you have a manager or a colleague, always meet one-on-one, explain your background, what you want to achieve, and just be as transparent and honest with everyone you meet, and you form friendships and relationships before you know it.
What are you hoping to achieve in the future?
I’ll be here forever! I love it here, I really do. As you may be aware, there are grade systems in the University so I would like to get to the highest grade possible but stay in the Department of Physics if that’s possible. I just want to progress because I know how much I have progressed since I was 17 and now I’m 25, so I just want to keep on going. Hopefully, I can get to a point where I am coordinating and leading the team that I always worked in and helped within.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I think it should be put to note how great the department is and how great the people in the department are. I’m going to mention Angie who’s working with Hannah in management services because I love her to death. Over COVID, when not a lot of people could come in and out of the department, I was allowed in on exceptional circumstances because being at home was affecting my mental health. If I don’t have a routine, I’m just sat there in a rut. Apart from going on a walk once a day, there was nothing I could do. It was just mentally draining for me, so I just started to come in and Angie was in and around the University too. In those two years we became so close, and I think she’ll say as much as me what we did for each other got us through those years of sheer uncertainty. The support from Angie and my team during that time, when I knew I was struggling, was just beyond unbelievable. It really helped me shape who I am today, and I am more confident.
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