Bianca graduated in 2011 with a BA in English Language. She is now Business Development Coordinator for Arup - co-ordinating all Business development and marketing activity for their Bristol office and supporting other offices in the West as well as the Regional team which looks after the UK, Middle East and Africa Region.
How did the opportunities you had at Birmingham help you in your career?
"While studying at the University, I worked at the Guild of Students as a marketing assistant and took part in the University’s Personal Skills Award (PSA). The PSA helped a lot in preparing me for a career in Marketing. I chose modules, including Project Management and Media & PR skills, which were useful for developing skills that I now use day-to-day. Marketing has always been a passion of mine and I’m now working with a company that is invested in developing my skills and in my future career. I have a large amount of responsibility and creative control over the campaigns, projects and collateral that we produce, meaning I always get involved with new and exciting projects and people."
How did your degree in English Language help you in your career?
"Presentations, debating topics, research, time management as well as how to seek help from the right experts in that field - I learnt all of these things during my degree without even realising and only later reflected on how glad I was that I had started to develop these before starting work!"
What advice would you give to new students?
"It’s never too early to start gaining experience and looking into career paths you are interested in. The alumni mentoring scheme is a great way to speak to professionals and gain a better understanding of what you need to know, and what skills you need to work on before you enter the world of work.
"Keep developing your skills, and never stop learning. People think that once you finish your degree then the learning is over, but really that is where it all begins. Whether it’s taking photographs, drawing, or experience in different computer software, these are all useful abilities that can be learnt at any stage in your career or during your studies. Employers value people that are motivated to keep growing their skills."