Dr Samuel Nathan Richards
Supporting your career from day one
Access over 5,500 employers on our online network, Handshake
93.5% of Herts UK graduates* are employed or in further study within 15 months of graduation
Highest growth of all East of England university graduate start-ups over the last five years
How loud is the dream inside your heart? Can you hear it? How will you capture it?
Now that you’ve found us, you’re well on your way!
We’re here to help turbocharge your career, from the minute you arrive to the completion of your studies and beyond - with support available for up to four years after you graduate. Whether you’re seeking a part-time job during your studies, exploring career options, or preparing to start your own business, we offer a wealth of resources, training and networking opportunities that will give you the confidence you need to make your mark on the world.
From our Go Herts award to our Flare enterprise competition, our students also enjoy supplementing their studies with exclusive extracurricular benefits which give them that extra spark to help land jobs, launch businesses and capture dreams.
Are you next?
How we work with businesses and employers
We work closely with employers to understand their recruitment needs and connect them with our talented and diverse pool of students. Where possible, we engage with industry and the professions to co-create courses, ensuring that Herts learning is robust, and delivers graduates with precisely the right skills for the roles they take on.
We also connect businesses with potential entrepreneurs to fill placements and deliver mentorship opportunities.
Where will Herts take YOU?
From entrepreneur to engineer, illustrator to litigator, we’ve been helping our students capture their dreams since 1952.
Samuel works for NASA as the Mission Director and Instrument Scientist for NASA/DLR mission: SOFIA...
Award-winning freelance illustrator and author...
CEO of Greymate Care...
Meet Dr Samuel Nathan Richards, who has taken his degree out of this world. Samuel currently works for NASA as the Mission Director & Instrument Scientist for NASA/DLR mission: SOFIA in California.
Global opportunities
Samuel currently works as the Mission Director & Instrument Scientist for the SOFIA mission, based in Palmdale, California at the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. Nathan has worked toward this role since completing his degree and a PhD in Astrophysics at the University of Sydney, Australia.
He says, 'I would not be where I am without the opportunities that were available while studying at the University of Hertfordshire. From extracurricular projects, to connections with other world ranking universities. I'm thankful to the University for its guidance and support that kick-started my career.'
Samuel decided to study at the University after seeing a promo video in sixth-form that featured the Bayfordbury Observatory. He says, 'When I discovered how strong the University's Astronomy department was, I felt that this was an environment that I could thrive in.'
'The lecturers were world-class, active astronomers, so each class was dynamic to the ever-changing knowledge of their respective fields of research. Their willingness to accept keen students for extracurricular research projects gave me early first-hand experience of the career I was about to launch myself into. Their international connections opened a path for me to do a research year at the University of Sydney, where I would later return to complete a PhD!'
Harry Woodgate
Meet Harry, an award-winning freelance illustrator and author who creates stories with a focus on diversity, inclusivity, compassion and adventure.
What I'm most proud of in my life after Herts
Harry Woodgate is an award-winning freelance illustrator and author. They work with clients across editorial, publishing and advertising sectors, including top publishing houses such as Penguin Random House, magazines like the Sunday Times Magazine and corporate companies like National Book Tokens. In 2019 Harry was shortlisted for the V&A Illustration Awards. In the work they produce you will see fun, bright colours and quirky characters with interesting shapes and exaggerated perspectives. Harry particularly enjoys making work about psychology, LGBT and queer identities, and how we can protect our natural world.
Harry’s children’s books include Grandad's Camper, How to Build a City, Little Glow and The Very Merry Murder Club. They love creating stories with a focus on diversity, inclusivity, compassion and adventure. Their next book called TIMID, is a picture book about friendship and overcoming anxiety and will be published in June 2022 with Little Bee Books.
Chika Madubuko
Meet Chika Madubuko who has used her business knowledge to help others. She is currently the CEO of Greymate Care, Africa's pioneer AI-Powered, home-care platform that connects the elderly to a vetted caregiver.
University life and experience
Chika initially decided to study at the University of Hertfordshire based on our impressive Learning Resource Centre’s ranking and our close proximity to London. As an international student, these factors were extremely important to ensure she had the tools and support to succeed in her course.
Her course, MSc Biotechnology, enabled Chika to push herself and provide a comprehensive and practical approach to the industry she wanted to pursue a career in.
‘Our course was delivered using a problem based learning approach where we tried to solve problems using real life scenarios as case studies.’
Similarly, Chika goes on to add that the composition of the modules on her course was completely different to other universities as the variety on offer ‘covered all areas within the sector.’ She firmly believes that as a University of Hertfordshire alumna, she has ‘the best recipe for success’ and ‘the world is [her] oyster.’.
* in full-time study, completing their first degree (Graduate Outcomes, 2020/21).