Hear from our alumni

Studying the Business Management programme provided me with practical analytical and finance skills which have helped enormously when a significant part of my job is spent in Excel trying to get to grips with managing part of a large IT estate and delivering monthly business reviews for such a large service with a high turnover.

The most valuable lesson I took from my time at the University of Birmingham was to continually challenge why and the meaning behind things. This has given me the confidence in the workplace to challenge processes, make improvements and network with people.

After completing a gap year placement with one of the Big Four accountancy firms, I joined the University of Birmingham to study BSc Economics. I was very fortunate to have had this experience before starting my degree and it made me more aware of the importance of gaining a good degree from a highly regarded University.

The University of Birmingham offers a comprehensive degree outline and the modules offered are interesting and challenging – they range from core economic modules to more applied ones such as environmental and health economics.

The support and advice received from personal tutors and lecturers is invaluable and they made my experience at the university more enjoyable. Thinking back about the last 3 years I have come out of university as an independent and confident person with a positive outlook to life.

I chose to study International Business because the University of Birmingham is one of the leading, triple-crown accredited universities in the UK. Through the interaction and exchange of ideas with lecturers and peers, the study experience was enriching and it has allowed me to adopt an innovative mind-set towards international business practices.

The School of Computer Science has a very strong research presence. This has spawned a diverse range of taught modules that gives students a chance to delve into many different areas of computing. The quality of the teaching is excellent, and I owe a great deal to the lecturers that have inspired myself and others to pursue careers in academia.

My Master’s degree gave me a great foundation to build my career in IT. It covered a large range of aspects which are becoming more and more important in my day-to-day role. I currently work as an Analyst Programmer which means I am involved in the architecture, design and implementation of software systems within a highly-regulated environment.

I am currently specialising in integration, meaning that one of my key responsibilities is providing the ability for multiple distinct systems to communicate effectively.

An engineering degree gives employers the confidence that you have the capability to think logically, learn quickly, absorb information, complete tasks and deal with external pressures. The real learning starts when you begin a project and have to put the theory into practice in a real life application where you have to impress both a client and employer.

Real engineering is having awareness of all the constraints and working towards the best solution with minimum compromise. I took all this knowledge and experience with me and have utilised it in all my management roles since.

I chose to train with the University of Birmingham due to a number of reasons. Firstly, its reputation; I always knew that the University was well-thought of and known for its high quality education. Secondly, when researching Teacher Training, the University of Birmingham met all of my requirements; graded as ‘outstanding’, whilst meeting school-based experiences in a variety of settings. Training to teach at the University of Birmingham enhanced my career prospects by equipping me with the right skills and expertise to be an outstanding practitioner.

The supportive and welcoming ethos of the University was felt throughout. The academic staff worked hard to ensure we were fully prepared for the life of a teacher and provided me with the right skills and experience to flourish in my career.