Keith Herrmann is Director of Employability and Careers at the University of Surrey which was named both 'University of the Year' and 'University of the Year for Student Experience' in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2016. At Surrey he leads the Directorate of Employability and has a university-wide remit as strategic lead on employability, careers and the university’s renowned student placement programme (the Professional Training Year). The University has 1,200 students out on placement a year and has 2,300 placement partners that we work with in the UK, Europe and internationally. Keith works extensively with the academic community to ensure employability is a core element of the student learning journey.
Keith was previously Deputy Chief Executive at the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) where he was involved in published research on entrepreneurship education, leadership in higher education, innovation policy, university-business collaboration, employability, career guidance and STEM education.
Keith worked previously at Durham University Business School as Director of Programmes for Small Enterprise Development where he led a team specialising in entrepreneurship education, economic policy research, SME development, leadership and knowledge exchange programmes with business. He has also worked internationally on the impact of regulation and government policy on business.
Keith is passionate about education, and pro bono convenes the Careers Alliance, a strategic leadership network of 25 national organisations in the UK with an interest in career guidance, including employer bodies, trade unions and education and skills organisations.
