Ken Clayton

Current Employer/Organisation Name

Reference Technology Ltd

Can you give us an overview of what you have done since you completed your research degree?

Lots more historical research, mostly related to the Exe Sailing Club.

How did you become interested in the area you work in?

Around 1976 I was offered a job running the department that organised business conferences and new car launches for Leyland Cars.

How did you find opportunities in the area you work in and how did the recruitment process work?

I ran the department for 10 years and was then offered the chance to write and direct the dealer launch of the Vauxhall Astra so went freelance.

What does your current role involve?

Mainly being a sounding board for our managing director and helping a young apprentice to develop his writing skills.

What skills are involved in your work and how did your research degree help develop them?

The ability to listen and lead people to the right course of action. No, my research degree has not helped. I did the MRes for my own pleasure.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

It’s part-time so I have plenty of time to do other things.

What are the challenges in your role?

Teaching managers to let their staff do their jobs with as little interference as possible.

What has surprised you about your role?

Nothing that I can think of.

Did you engage in any additional activities or roles (i.e. organising conferences, entering PGR showcase, being a PGR Rep etc.) during your research degree, and how did these help prepare you for a career beyond academia?

I spoke at some conferences and meetings both at the university and at the annual conference of the History of Education Society.

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

Adaptability.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

I haven’t had a career. I have been a photographer, sold cameras, been a print buyer in an advertising agency, been an advertising account executive in the same agency, handled sales promotions in the motor industry, run the department that organised conferences and new model launches for a car manufacturer, been a freelance writer, run a PR agency, been a director of a local radio station and run the business that I’m still involved with.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m currently researching and updating a book about the history of Jaguar that I wrote in the 1980s, researching the history of the Exe Sailing Club and working on various projects related to the Exmouth lifeboat station.