ABOUT US

“I got a job designing a flying computer game. I hate flying. But I conquered that fear and I ended up getting my pilot’s license. That’s how you design a realistic game.”

When you talk to people about their jobs you learn all sorts of surprising things. Video game designers train in the skills their customers will simulate. Midwives inform the women in their care about their options, but never tell them what to do. Hotel food managers think very carefully about where to put the eggs and bacon in the buffet line. And independent plumbers turn down way more jobs than they accept.

At Think Smart, we talk to people about the problems they solve over the course of their workdays. We use this to create problem-solving scenarios that students and employees can complete to better understand different roles and the skills needed.

As users work their way through a set of problems, they get an inside look at what it’s really like to do that job. And - from a student perspective - that’s where the social mobility part of our mission comes in. Students from less advantaged backgrounds can experience a real day in the life of a journalist or a lawyer, even if they’ve never met one before.

By the end, they have a custom analysis of their skills and strengths, and a better idea of what they might do in the future. We’re already working with further education colleges and an international university to create content tailored to their curricula.

Our tool works well for recruitment and learning and development, too. Businesses ranging from 20-30 employees to multinational organisations are working with us in the hope of attracting a more diverse applicant pool and providing greater insights to existing employees.

Interested in learning more or helping us to build more content? Get in touch!


Meet the team

Rohin aggarwal
Rohin Aggarwal
Founder & CEO

Rohin is passionate about increasing social mobility, particularly in the education area. Rohin’s work experience spans asset management, public policy and management consulting. He has been a governor at one of the UK’s largest further education colleges for four years.

Rohin holds an MA in Economics from King's College, University of Cambridge and an MBA from INSEAD where he lived both in France and Singapore.

Favourite subject at school:
French (but don’t expect much from me nowadays!)

If I’d had access to Think Smart as a student…
I would not have focussed all my energies on equities trading - perhaps I would have considered something more creative.

First job:
Burger King


Patrick gleeson
Patrick Gleeson
CTO

Patrick has worked in software and startups for the last decade. His experience spans back- and front-end development, product ownership, team leadership and project management. He has also worked as a sound designer, an 'Interpretive Naturalist' at an aquarium, and a carpenter.

Patrick holds a degree in Classics and Philosophy from Cambridge, and another one in Theatre Technology from LAMDA. He once built an animatronic robot octopus that played the xylophone.

Favourite subject at school:
Biology. Maybe if I could do it all again I'd be a marine zoologist.

If I’d had access to Think Smart as a student…
I wouldn't have wasted so much time applying for jobs in advertising, strategic consultancies, market research, politics, or all the other careers it turned out I didn't actually want.

First job:
Assistant stage manager at a pub theatre.


Advisory team

We are lucky enough to be supported by an advisory team with a wealth of experience across management consulting, education and central government.

Interested in joining our team? Click here to get in touch.