(The Free Press Journal publishes articles by study abroad consultants, Consulates, foreign universities, international students, and much more every Saturday to give its readers a glimpse of the world of overseas education.)
To pursue my higher education, my reasons for choosing the UK were unquestionably high-quality education, revolutionary teaching styles, multicultural classroom, and the master's program being a yearlong. This means quick results and outcomes and is significantly less expensive than programs that last 2-years in other countries. This came in after spending a lot of time on research.
MBA from UK widened job opportunities
After working for almost a decade in a Technical profile, I wanted to hone my management skills, which was really important for my career development and hence I decided to do my MBA from University of Essex. The MBA tutors have both academic and extensive private sector experience and thus the programme provided a fantastic mix of academic research and practical experience, particularly my consulting project with BT.
The best part about my programme was getting to speak with CEOs, business consultants, and other leaders who had previously accomplished significant things or were on their way to doing this. Their practical experiences and lessons are more informative when shared than what can be understood by reading from a book. The MBA programme has definitely widened the job opportunities for me, not only in India or the UK but worldwide. I was in touch with companies based in Germany, Romania, Dubai, Ireland etc.
‘Applied for positions outside my comfort zones’
Since I was aiming for Project Manager and Business Consultant roles, I did apply for numerous positions outside my comfort zone in various other industries, and my experience was wonderful. Although there is no such thing as an easy life overseas, having a clear vision and goal always helps. Like every other international student, my journey was full of challenges and experiences, but what really helped me was that I never gave up. I focused on ongoing development of interview techniques, job research strategies, and resume writing.
It always helps if students are clear about their goals and what they want to achieve by studying in the UK. I recognise while part-time work is necessary, study should take precedence. Try not to lose interest in your studies and keep yourself motivated. For a better understanding of the requirements, students should begin their career research from Day 1. Try not to over plan and keep yourself open to dealing with what you encounter in reality.
I received two scholarships from the university, one of which was a 40% fee discount, following my interview with the MBA Director. I had an hour-long online session with the MBA Director, where we discussed several things, like my background, future plans, long term goals etc. and it was also my chance to know more about the programme and the university.
While I was well prepared to start my higher education journey in the UK, the university helped me at every step of my student journey, and I was able to achieve my goals.
The author graduated with an MBA from University of Essex, UK in 2021 and is now Technical Solutions expert at KIGEN UK Ltd.
(FPJ's My Space column gives a platform to Indian and international students abroad to relay their experience which can prove to be helpful to many other students. Stay tuned for more!)
