City Lit Staff Profile: Meet Sobia Butt, Head of Universal Skills

Working at City Lit

Meet Sobia, a new addition to the City Lit family who joined us in 2024 as the Head of Universal Skills. Bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective, Sobia has quickly become an integral part of our City Lit community. Join us as we delve into her journey at City Lit. 

What made you decide to join City Lit?

My name is Sobia, and I am the Head of Universal Skills. My role is to support the Universal Skills department, which is English, ESOL, Maths and Digital Skills. What that encompasses is supporting learners, perhaps in their first steps, or further development in those subjects, and really re-engaging with those subjects, with from students around the community, also working with organisations, local charities, and external partners.  

What do you enjoy about working in the adult education sector? 

My passion for adult education come from my own experience in the FE sector and its vital role in society. It’s crucial for people to have a second chance, whether it’s later in life, to upskill or reskill, change professions, or simply to take a course for enjoyment. This is what attracts me not just to this role but to City Lit as a whole.

Tell us a bit more about your team. 

My team is fantastic. What has drawn me closer to this role is the people I work with. I have an excellent deputy head of English and Maths, a dedicated admin team, and course leaders for all subject areas, including English, Maths, and Digital Skills. They have a real passion for their subjects and understand the learners’ needs. It has been a significant learning curve for me, learning from different team members and witnessing the progression within the department. 

What are your favourite perks of working at City Lit? 

City Lit has a generous pension scheme, generous annual leave, and a focus on staff wellbeing through the Employee Assistance Programme.        

What’s your advice to anyone who’s interested in working at City Lit? 

I would say, come and visit! Experience the community at City Lit, talk to the staff, engage with the students, and explore the services we offer. We have a very open-door policy, complete with a café on the ground floor. Spending a few hours here will give you a good impression of what it’s like to work here.