Lee Chambers
BA (Hons) International Management, 2007
About me
- Founder and Chief Psychologist at Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing
- Studied: BA (Hons) International Management, 2007
- Contact me on LinkedIn
ABOUT MY CAREER
I grew up in Bolton, which is close to Manchester, and yet the difference in size between a town and city is significant. I was the first one in my extended family to go to university, so I felt it was important to stay close to my support network because I wasn’t sure what to expect or how I would find living independently.
Reflecting back, I was very lucky to get onto a graduate scheme at the Co-operative Bank after graduating, having applied for a whole variety of schemes with different companies in a range of sectors. This kept me in Manchester, which was more important than I realised, as the 2008 credit crunch led to me losing my professional training, and then my position. I might have been there for less than a year, but I learned a lot about the world of work.
I am currently the Director and Chief Psychologist at Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing, a workplace wellbeing and inclusion agency, based in Preston. I founded Essentialise in 2020, combining my academic expertise, business acumen and industry knowledge to support organisations in delivering wellbeing strategically and effectively.
My day-to-day is varied, and can range from working on business strategy, onboarding new clients, designing interventions and assessments, to delivering our virtual reality training. In addition, I do a lot of public speaking, am a trustee for a charity and campaign on numerous issues, including gender inequity and autism acceptance.
When I think about my time at Manchester Met, it was a mixture of practical skills, the network of friends I still have today, and the life skills I built that have served me well on my ‘squiggly’ career journey. My closest friend is the same Manchester Met student who I sat next to on my first morning at Aytoun, over 15 years ago. University gave me additional critical thinking skills, showed me how I could overcome adversity, and helped me to become better at expressing myself. I also took advantage of some of the extra-curricular activities, including language club and public speaking. These activities have helped me during my career and have been a part of getting more skilled at expressing myself and communicating more effectively.
While I haven’t taken a traditional career pathway, I have been permanently enrolled in some form of qualification at Level 5 or above ever since losing my graduate scheme training in 2008. From studying Psychology to Masters level, and attaining professional qualifications in a range of fields, from Leadership to Health Innovation, my time at Manchester Met gave me the hunger for learning, and my tip to any aspiring student is to never stop learning and applying new things in life.
MY TOP TIP FOR STUDENTS IS
My tip would be to take a step back and reflect on what you’ve achieved so far in your life, and what you can learn about yourself from those reflections. Getting to know yourself is a vital part of being able to articulate your value and shows a self-awareness that employers increasingly find an asset.
My other piece of advice is to consider your personal brand, your digital legacy and what a company would find if they searched online for you. Tailoring this so that potential employers find out the things you want them to see and building a network so others can be part of your journey, will pay dividends whether you go into employment or entrepreneurship, and will keep giving back throughout your journey.
I’M INSPIRED BY
The young people who I meet, who are actively tackling some of the biggest challenges we face in society, with humility, confidence and resolve.
WHY I LOVE MANCHESTER MET
It was a place where I felt I was accepted for who I was, and I can’t say I’ve always felt like that throughout my life in the same way since.