Jo has a varied portfolio and works across several research areas including skills and learning, workforce development, careers transitions, local economic development and arts and the creative and cultural sectors.

Her recent work includes economic development work (such as the evaluation of LGI in Cambridge and Greater Cambridgeshire), sector-based workforce development (in the health sectors for Health Education England and Office for Students), career guidance work (for Careers and Enterprise Company, UKRI and the Gatsby Foundation), and work in the further education sector (for the Department for Education and Education and Training Foundation). She has undertaken several projects related to inspiring young people to consider science study and science careers, including work for UKRI, the National STEM Centre, HE STEM, and the Gatsby Foundation. She has recently concluded major studies for Health Education England (on surgery training pathways) and Government Equalities Office on support for returners to re-enter the workforce.

Jo is an experienced researcher and project manager with over twenty-five years relevant experience. Her research career initially focussed on local economic development and small business support, before moving to specialise in lifelong learning and career guidance. Jo worked as part of a specialist team of researchers on career guidance for young people and adults at the University of Derby. Here she also completed her teaching qualification and doctorate alongside substantive roles. She has worked at SQW for ten years, including a period in the early 2000s and then again since 2017.

She has experience of managing complex, multi-year research programmes and collaborating with expert Associates. She is skilled at multi-method approaches to research and an experienced report writer.