Mike & Liz's Engagement Party, 2011
Mike Rouse was born, grew up and educated in Coventry (West Midlands, UK) to working -class parents. He has a half-brother and a younger sister along with a growing assortment of nephews and nieces.
Early education was at the now-demolished Alderman Harris Primary School on Charter Avenue, Coventry, with secondary education being at Alderman Callow School and Community College on Mitchell Ave, which was renamed to Westwood School: A Technology College and awarded Academy status.
Further education was initially in Advanced GNVQ Media but latterly in AVCE Business & Finance at Tile Hill College, which is now known as City College Coventry. Following graduation Mike entered the workforce and began his career with Barclays Bank plc in September 2001.
His early career consisted of working on various technical help-desks before joining the NHS in 2003 where Mike progressed quickly to become a Senior Administrator by 2005.
In early 2006, Mike was placed with the Learning & Skills Council through the Kelly Services Agency in an administrative and semi-technical capacity. Later that year Mike decided to launch his own business, Bluetorch Solutions, which would provide website design services to the political sector, including a joint venture supported by Tim Montgomerie and Iain Dale called The Blue Blog Company.
The company later became Global New Media as it developed new services and began to support Britain’s first internet-based TV station, 18 Doughty Street Talk TV until 2008. Mike provided technical assurance and development services to the station, working closely with colleagues who included radio presenter Iain Dale, political journalist Tim Montgomerie, legal pioneer Donal Blaney, entrepreneur Stephan Shakespeare, magazine editor Ben Duckworth, and global CEO and media commentator Shane Greer amongst many others who went on to lead successful careers in the political and media sectors.
Mike returned to Coventry in 2008 to continue working in the ICT field and was placed with Peugeot Motor Company plc through the Kelly Services agency in the capacity of a web designer. Work included development of interfaces for the 2008 International Motor Show.
Towards the end of 2008 Mike joined the Learning & Skills Council once again through in the capacity of web design. This later evolved and expanded to include more responsibilities and Mike remains with the new organisation, IM Services, where he provides a wide range of services on behalf of Rouse Media Ltd, placed through the Badenoch & Clark agency.
Mike is engaged to marry Elizabeth in 2013. They currently live together in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.