Professional biography
Prior to my time in higher education - I worked within both industry and vocational further education. Currently my academic work is within the domains of applied network engineering, digital technologies and cybersecurity, teaching Cisco CCNA, CCNP, CyberOps and DevNet advanced practitioner programmes. I am also focussed on community engagement and outreach, mainly active within the global Cisco 'NetAcad' community - supporting the development of teachers, as well as the use of vocational computing resources within further and higher education. As well as working with a range of other industry leaders within the computing sector.
Past experience includes the authoring of multiple text books, supporting the development of national qualifications in the UK, as well as working as a senior examiner for a national vocational qualification.
Research interests
My primary research focus, follows these four domains, each supports research and teaching projects:
- Evaluating a hybrid delivery pedagogy, focussed on scalable teacher development within the network engineering and cybersecurity domains
- Utilising social media as a scalable huetagogical tool for peritheral learning
- Scalable simulation, for development of entry point network engineering skills and co-development of an underpinning academic community of practice.
- Supporting the development of disability engaged teaching, in the domain of network engineering
Teaching interests
I teach at the university, on several modules - all predominantly focussed on internationally recognised vocationally focussed professional skills within the Network Engineering and CyberSecurity practitioner domains.
Currently I am:
- Chairing (leading the teaching) - TM257 - Cisco Networking (part one) and also TM357 - Cisco Networking (part two)
- Teaching (module team member) - T828 Network Security - includes CCNA-CyberOps and Cisco Ethical Hacking
- Supporting development of content for a Microsoft funded AI Skills BOC
- Supporting deployment of CyberSecurity content for a British Council Funded initiative
In the recent past, I have:
- Co-Lead on Nominet funded project, to reach/teach AI and CyberSecurity skills to underserved 18-35yr olds (bid won and now in deployment) (2024/25)
- Developed Microcredentials focussed on skills based vocational computing disciplines, including Linux, DevNet, Coding, Network Engineering, Cloud Computing (with Dr Amel Bennaceur) and CyberSecurity Operations.
- Supported development and delivery of T829 - CCNP Enterprise (replacing T824/6/7 - CCNP R+S modules)
- Chaired TG088 - Linux Essentials (2017 to 2021)
- Chaired TG090 (leading the teaching and academic development) - Vendor Certification module, supporting focussed funded bids including:
- Cyber Skills for West Mids Combined Authority (March 2020)
- DevOp Skills for Greater Manchester and Lancashire Combined Authorities (October 2020)
- Coding Skills for Scottish Development Agency (January 2021)
- Data Skills & DevNet Skills in collaboration with IoC for DfE Sept and Oct 2021
- DevNetSkills for DfE only in Sept 2022
I also indirectly support colleagues offering Networking Essentials, CCST-Cyber/Networking and CyberSecurity (CCST) content on TM129 .
Impact and Engagement
I lead a Cisco ASC (Academy Support Centre) - this is a first amongst equals focussed initiative, within the global Cisco NetAcad programme. Currently, we support over 550+ different organisations, by virtue of an 'open source', 'free membership oriented' methodology. We have won multiple Premier+ and outstanding engagement (individual, employability and gender participation) awards from Cisco (from 2016 to 2026, uninterupted)
These organisations are UK focussed, with around 10-15% being global - within the community there are:
- Schools (teaching up to the age of 16)
- Further Education Colleges (including, 6th form, technical, vocational and community colleges) of which there are over 100 participating organisations.
- Higher Education
- Awarding Organisations
- Education Foccused Charities
- Apprenticeship Training Organisations
- And other non-standard education focussed initiaitves
Beyond this engagement, I also lead on a 'teaching the teachers' project - using a Cisco ITC (instructor training centre). Adapting the Cisco 'face-to-face' model and offering a social media oriented hybrid community based MOOC. This project commenced early 2017 - by 2021 we reached 11500+ teachers*, covering Computer Hardware, Python Programming, Linux, Network Engineering and CyberSecurity. This has been supported by Cisco, CompTIA and the Institute of Coding.
In addition, I have led (and leading) several funded projects:
- Teaching teachers ITEssentials/A+, funded by CompTIA to 1192 global educators (2018)
- Developing a 'blended learning essentials' resource base for vocational educators (2019) which was repurposed for Covid19 during early stages of the first 2020 lockdown
- Supporting Royal National College for the Blind - teaching their teaching team how to deliver Cisco Networking - collaborated with Curtin University and Cisco - forming basis a global disability 'expert base' (2016)
- Supporting a range of 'teacher outreach' courses - focussing on Networking Principles, Network Security and CyberSecurity Operations.
- Importing/Converting the Cisco Introduction to the Internet of Everything course onto the OpenLearn platform (2017)
- Supporting the development of computer science educators in Portugal (2023)
- Improving gender participation in the UK (2023 to 25) as CyberCamps; with the aim to reach 2000+ Girls and Young Women - currently, supporting 1500+ participants.
- Click Start (Funded by Nominet, led by Institute of Coding) - aim to reach 6000+ 18 to 35yr olds with light barriers in CyberSecurity and Artificial Intelligence (we reached 13,000+, including c8000 in age scope)
Personal recognition and fellowships include:
- In Oct 2020, I was awarded HEA (Advance-HE) Senior Fellowship status (SFHEA) based on teaching as well as my impact and engagement.
- In March 2024, I became a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)
- Also, in March 2024, I received an EDI Heroes - Role Model Award from WorldSkills UK - at the House of Commons. The video below describes 350+ organisations, it is now a far greater number, than the time it was recorded.
- Summer 2025, I rejoined the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET)
*Now at c20,500
External collaborations
- Developing other Cisco ASC's and potential ASC's.
- Supporting several academic partners of the OU, developing their vendor provision, digital technologies programmes as process panel member, academic chair and also academic reviewer.
- Currently leading a collaborative teaching the teachers project, with Cisco, University of Wales: Trinity St David - enabling educators to become Cisco Accredited Instructors (for free)
- Working with Cisco and other 'academic leaders' within a global disability engagment project, focussed on enablement within the Network Engineering domain.
- Ongoing engagement developing cloud, network technician and cybersecurity technologist qualifications with multiple awarding organisations
- Supporting T-Level and HTQ development with various awarding organisations
- Supporting the improvement of gender participation within the broad digital technologies domain
- Consultancy for several awarding organisations
Advisory Roles
Currently, I sit on several advisory groups/boards including:
- Cisco 'NetAcad' Global Advisory Committee
- Pearson T-Levels Employer Advisory Group for both Digital and Engineering
- Newcastle College - Industry Advisory Board
- Lewisham College - Industry and Employer Advisory Board
In the past, I have been on advisory groups for CompTIA, the Linux Professional Institute and Huawei.
International links
- Former Honorary Research Associate - Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia
