Life after graduation - Interview with Carl Morris, Principal of Carfax College

I am currently the Principal of Carfax College and Head of Private Tutors for the Carfax Education Group, as well as Co-Founder in an innovative EdTech project, The Online School.

In my current role I oversee the operations of the College and Tuition Division of the Group from finances to academics. It is an exciting position where I get to make high level decisions that can have a real impact on the company.

There has been a lot to learn on the way, but I believe that my background in business from my accountancy days and my passion for teaching has set me up well to continually develop my own skill set to become an effective leader and decision maker.

I am proud of the work I have completed over my 6 years at Carfax and have seen the business grow as a result of the system and academic changes I have implemented.

What did you study at Oxford?

Chemistry

What was your first career after graduation?

Chartered Accountant – ACA Qualification

What advice do you wish you’d received when you graduated?

Make your own way! Don’t follow the crowd, find something that really interests you, somewhere where you can continue to learn and where your opinion is valued.

And you don’t have to get it right first time. You will have ample opportunity in your career to try multiple industries and really find what excites you.

Please tell us about your career progression at Carfax Education

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, I joined Carfax in Dubai as a tutor, and immediately saw that our ethos on education was aligned. I wanted to be a part of the changes that I could see happening in education all around the world, and Carfax seemed to be on the front lines. I worked my way up to running the UAE office and eventually managing our College and the Global Tuition Team. I am proud of the work that my amazing team do in bringing subjects to life with passion, enthusiasm and constant innovation in education.

How has your experience and studies at Oxford University helped you in both your career path and developments?

During my time at Oxford I found the tutorial style of learning and exploring subjects an incredibly mind opening experience. It is something that I encourage the entire team to recreate for younger years. I feel like my time at Oxford taught me “how to learn” and this is an essential skill for students to develop in order to keep up to date with the rapidly changing jobs market due to technological advances.

Do you have any tips for personal career development?

Keep your curiosity and be creative. Things don’t have to be done the way they have always been done. The most exciting thing about my current role, and any role I have enjoyed in the past, is the ability to make a difference and have an impact. Always remember that things don’t have to be done the way they always have been, and to get ahead in the workplace, creativity in problem solving is an essential skill. Companies are always looking for innovative solutions so be curious – explore the company and try to understand where there are problems that you can support with and you will soon find yourself making a real impact.

About Carfax Education

Founded in Oxford, Carfax Education is a leading Education provider that delivers a range of educational services to families and students across the world. With specialists in tutoring, consultancy, guardianship and business development roles, we offer academic services to children of all ages; from Nursery to University. They also have an independent college in the heart of Oxford, Carfax College. 

Featured in The Guardian, The London Evening Standard, Daily Mirror and Times Radio, our business is built on trust, quality and integrity, and we are proud to offer our knowledge and expert advice to thousands of families and industry connections across the world.