University welcomes 'One Week Job' man

Plymouth University welcomed a new member to its team this week in the form of ‘One Week Job’ man Matt Frost.

30-year-old Matt, from Liskeard in Cornwall, is currently trying his hand at 52 jobs in a year and is on week 19 of his challenge. Some of his previous jobs include a stuntman, farmer, outdoor instructor, pizza delivery man and journalist.

Whilst at Plymouth University, Matt has worked with many teams including social media, alumni and the Entrepreneurs Society. He has also spoken with academics, captained a ship in the University’s state-of-the-art ship simulator and sat in on a lesson about building the oceans. On his final day today, Matt is due to deliver his first lecture in the Roland Levinsky Building on his experiences so far.

He said: “It's been amazing to have a glimpse into the inner-workings of the University this week. I've been nothing but impressed with the staff and students I've had the pleasure of meeting and working alongside. The number of students alone is almost three times the population of my home town, so it's been eye opening to witness the scale of the work that goes into running it all.

“I'd never had the opportunity to spend time talking to a published particle physicist before, and hear about how they're keen to share their passion and knowledge with the students just starting out. And I'd never even been to a single lecture before this week, let alone given one. I feel like I've spent time in a place full of opportunities and learning, so it was a perfect week to add to my year of new challenges.”

Matt came up with the idea while he was recovering from a head injury last year. Not wanting to go back to his former job in retail, and with no clear idea of what career he wanted, he decided he wanted to try a whole range of jobs before going back to full time work. Although he’s not yet found his dream job, he has a clear idea of what he enjoys and wants to get out of a career.

He continued: “Seeing the lives of people I’ve met along the way has been fascinating and I consider it a huge privilege to learn about what they do. I hope to have an impact on a few people’s lives and show them that it’s never too late to change paths and do something they love and feel passionate about. It may be nerve-wracking but those little leaps of faith when giving something a go can really add up to something worthwhile.”

Matt is donating each week’s salary to charity. For more information on his project visit www.oneweekjob.com/uk