A sharp new look for Imperial's campus staff

Yuly Sandoval Mora, Hall Supervisor

We meet Imperial's dedicated and skilled campus staff who work 24-7 to ensure the lights stay on and our community is kept healthy, nourished and safe

It has been said before that modern universities are arguably among the most complex organizations ever devised. While Imperial is rightly famous for its research and teaching excellence, it’s sometimes easy to forget that the College is also running a 2,500 bed accommodation service; keeping the equivalent of a small town going in terms energy demand; maintaining many hectares of estate; and offering a selection of food outlets to rival most shopping malls.

All that requires a skilled and dedicated body of support staff, working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure ‘the lights stay on’ and our community is kept healthy, nourished and safe. This considerable task falls in a large part to the Campus Services and Facilities Management teams at the College. In order to help improve the visibility, identification and quality of the services these teams provide, a project was initiated to introduce new uniforms.

Following a careful process of designing, sourcing and buying the new uniforms – which are specific for each role, taking into account health and safety and other practical considerations – the roll-out began this month.

“From security to catering, receptionists to maintenance, we have great front line teams,” says Imperial’s Chief Financial Officer and project champion Muir Sanderson. “Now we want to make sure that in our customer’s eyes we have just one brilliant front line team. Any staff, student or visitor should be able to turn to any member of that team for help or advice confident that they will receive consistent, professional, joined-up, customer-focused support. These uniforms are an important part of emphasising this. And they look great!”

We met some staff in their brand new uniforms and asked them about their day-to-day roles.

Ricardo Campos Sousa Pontes, Assistant Chef de Partie, Catering Services

"I’ve been at Imperial for 10 years, having migrated from Portugal. I started as a porter, then rose to supervising a team of porters. I then decided to try something different and became a chef – that’s what I like about Imperial, you’re supported if you have ambitions or just fancy a change. I work across all the kitchens – the central kitchen, H-Bar, Eastside, 170 Queen's Gate, Royal College of Music – and it’s incredibly fast paced and exciting, especially when we’re catering for special events. The kitchens team is very diverse and we all get on very well – just as long as no one borrows my best knifes!"

Mindaugas Petrauskas, Catering supervisor, Catering Services, Campus Services

"I started work at Imperial in 2010 having moved from Lithuania and the six years since have flown by. I now manage a team of 14 catering staff on daily basis – often in the Library café which is busiest catering outlet serving over 2000 students and staff each day. My main duties include ordering stock, making sure catering operations run smoothly without any hitches – and of course keeping our customers satisfied. Imperial provides a good environment with great people, staff and student. In catering I can certainly vouch that we work extremely but and also have a laugh and share many good moments; indeed many of us have become close friends."

Lisa Sheridan, Security Officer, Security Services, Estates Facilities

"I’ve worked at Imperial College since 2007 and I am primarily based at South Kensington, but regularly work at Hammersmith, Burlington Danes and St Mary’s Campuses. I enjoy working here; we have a great team and being part of the college community can be really rewarding. My role is different every day, whether it’s providing first aid or assisting with car parking. It’s exciting that we are going to be wearing new uniform. The whole department is changing for the better and I’m happy to be a part of that."

Yuly Sandoval Mora, Hall Supervisor, Residential Services

"I have been working as a Hall Supervisor for the last 2 years. I have really enjoyed interacting with students on a daily basis to make sure they feel safe, pleased and happy with the accommodation offered to them. Students have many requirements and needs, but that’s what makes the job interesting and rewarding. Imperial College is a very supportive organisation, always helping us to deliver our best."      

Michal Otremba, Village Assistant Supervisor, Residential Services

I'm originally from Poland, and my adventure with Imperial begun in October 2011 when I started working as part of the Catering department team in the Essentials convenience store. In April 2015 I had a chance to volunteer in Eastside Hall of Residence helping hall staff there with their day to day duties. Learning from a great team helped me to be successful in securing a position of Village Assistant Supervisor within Residences. First I was based in South Kensington Campus and since April this year I am part of the residences team in Woodward Buildings in North Acton. My daily duties include management of halls, liaising with the Student Hub, ensuring all services like cleaning and maintenance are up to agreed standards, ensuring the students have a memorable first year in Halls of Residences.

Sean McGuinness, Maintenance Technician, Estates Facilities

I only started working at Imperial around six months ago, but in that time I’ve already taken on an extraordinary variety of tasks, which has been very rewarding. My typical day might involve quickly reacting to urgent mechanical and electrical issues − from resetting a breaker to repairing steam equipment. I’m also involved in testing and making modifications to mechanical and electrical equipment, mechanical installations and preventative maintenance. Everything is done according to the highest safety measures and published procedures.

Alvaro Vieira Pereira, Control Room Operator, Security Services

Originally hailing from northern Portugal, I joined Imperial in 1999 aged 22 as a part-time cleaner and after four years switched to the security department. Imperial is a great university, located in a lovely area and I feel proud to work here. I really like the multi-cultural mix of staff and students. My job involves mainly working in the Security Control room, answering queries at the door or via the phone, monitoring CCTV, writing reports, issuing keys, responding to emergencies. Driving the Shuttle bus and car park duties is also part of the job. I look forward to wearing the new uniform with pride and to continue keeping our community safe and secure.

Remigijus Mickus, Catering Assistant, Catering Services, Campus Services

My career at Imperial started on 10 of February 2010. Since then I've always endeavoured to work hard and achieve as much as I can. That’s just my style; a job where I’m sat or stood still is definitely not for me, I like to be running all around the College!

My day starts 7am. I’m responsible for preparing and opening the JCR QT shop. Every morning I can be found sorting out all deliveries − sandwiches, dairy products etc. Later I move onto orders for the next day. Then I have to prepare tills to be operational all day and to ensure they don't run out of coins.

I have good maintenance skills, so if something is breaks down, I tend to sort it out myself.

I love to talk with my colleagues. Like myself, many staff have been here five years or more and many of us have become firm friends – it’s almost like a family. Since we spent a good portion of our lives in the workplace I strongly believe good relations are essential.

Steve Micheal, Postal Officer, Security Services

I've been at Imperial for 13 years now in which time I've had roles in security and postal services across different campuses including Hammersmith and St Mary's. We have a great team here. Importantly for me, I'm able to balance my Imperial work with being a Corporal in the Army Reserves.

Helen Bain

‘I have been working here at Imperial for over 16 years. My day to day role consists of serving customers at the till, ensure all menus and signage’s are in place, ordering change and preparing tills for service, just to name a few. Things that I enjoy working at Imperial are to meet and greet our regular and new customers, working as a team and most of all our customers are given the best service possible.’

Linas Krajasevicius Catering Supervisor, Catering Services, Campus Services

I've been at Imperial since 2009. I enjoy working in a customer-facing role as I face different challenges every day – different customers, different expectations. And I try to meet every customer’s expectations.  

Alexandra Calverley, Bar Supervisor, Catering Services, Campus Services

Photography by Thomas Angus and Layton Thompson