Chapter 17: Bridging the Gap: An Autoethnographic Reflection on Working in Both Professional Services and Academic Roles in UK HE

This chapter seeks to highlight commonalities in experience between academics and professional services staff who identify as being working-class or coming from a working-class background. It adopts an autoethnographic lens to explore the author’s current practice of being a teaching-focused academic with working-class heritage, as well as prior experience of working in professional services roles. Key themes include passion for the role, belonging and imposterism and career mobility. This chapter concludes with proposed recommendations to improve the classed experiences of all staff in UK Higher Education, with a notable focus on community building and career development support.