international student businesswise

International Student Magazine

Volunteering at the Olympic torch event

Reflecting on a year with Microsoft

Financial Times visits Northampton Business School

MBA Partnership in Vietnam

We are delighted to welcome over 1000 overseas students to

Northampton Business School (NBS) each year from about 65 different

countries giving the school a truly international flavour and global

perspective. Overseas students enjoy all the facilities and services of

the University and the town and the i-graduate student survey tells us

they very much enjoy their experience with us. As Executive Dean of

NBS, I am also responsible for the internationalisation of the whole

university so overseas students are at the core of everything we do.

It’s such an exciting time for students and staff alike in Northampton

Business School. With record student numbers yet again this year, a

dozen new staff and the opening of our new student hub, we are

Welcome from the

Executive Dean

Published by Northampton Business School. T. 0044 1604 892036 E. [email protected]

Editors: Hayley Hunter and Michelle Smith. Design: Stamp

www.northampton.ac.uk

Every effort has been made to ensure that all of the information contained in this edition of Business Wise is correct a the time of going to press. Please note that The University of Northampton accepts no liability for the accuracy of statements in this and other marketing publications.

Would you like to comment on any of the stories featured in this edition of BusinessWise? Got an idea for the next issue? Let us know –email [email protected]

Comments

@ianbrooks6

looking forward to many individual and team successes. Once again the school’s teaching has been

acclaimed in the National Student Survey (2011) which placed Business 18th out of all UK business

schools. Students are our first, our second and our third priority and, as such, we are investing heavily

in our student centred facilities, technology enhanced learning, employment orientated activities, social

enterprise and the broader student social and learning experience. Graduates from the school last

summer have secured jobs in multiple top companies while increasing numbers also have chosen to

undertake a one year student placement during their study. NBS is increasingly becoming a vibrant and

exciting, truly international business school with students, business clients and partners from around

the world.

Featured in this edition...

In Focus – Tambu Mangezi P.5

Developing global entrepreneurs P.6

Volunteering P8

A Gorgeous placement in LA P9

Most people enjoy being part of something and get a sense of achievement when they complete a task or fulfil an aim. For students joining the Pre-sessional Academic English course, the challenges they face, and the bigger picture that they have to integrate into, are much greater as they must do all this in a language and culture which are not their own, and are often vastly different to their own.

Pre-sessional students have often studied English in their own cultures for quite extended periods of time, yet their arrival at the University of Northampton might sometimes be their first opportunity to engage in daily life and to study within English culture. Their challenges extend from actually getting the haircut or the sandwich filling they want to getting the academic grade they need. Each day involves meeting challenges and achieving in some aspect of English life.

Often the education that international students have been used to and the way teaching and

learning takes place in classrooms in their own cultures is worlds apart from what we consider to be best practice in the UK. The way students and lecturers interact in Britain can be a surprising if not daunting experience, certainly giving feedback to a tutor can feel far from comfortable for a student even when they have been assured it’s the right thing to do.

Many students do succeed in raising their language levels and become familiar with British university working practices and it is always a pleasure for tutors to see students going onto the next part of their educational journey. Last year’s students said that not only did they learn English, but they also learnt ‘the British way of thinking.’ Xiaoli Qin came to Northampton Business School through a partnership with her Chinese institution to join the International Marketing course. Since studying Pre-sessional English, she feels that ‘this school environment is very suitable for me to study further.’ Fu Ying came to Northampton from Mongolia with the

aim of studying a Masters in Management. She now believes she will be able to complete her studies with NBS.

There are also opportunities for students to engage in social activities and take part in the wider community. Students this term have really displayed their community spirit by holding charity events, featuring authentic Chinese games, food and crafts through which they have successfully raised money for national charities. It was heart-warming to hear one student comment, ‘ It’s our pleasure to do so!’

raising funds for Children in Need

BusinessWise - International Edition Page 2

QUESTIONS ABOUT STUDYING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTONWILL I GET A JOB WHEN I FINISH MY STUDIES?By gaining a UK qualification your chances of gaining employment are significantly improved. The skills and competences that you gain by studying with us will give you a great head start when you begin

your job search.

WILL THE UNIVERSITY HELP ME TO FIND A JOB?We have many services in place that will help you to find a job. The Centre for Employability, based in Northampton Business School, offers you the following services:

Employability skills development

Business mentor schemes

Practice interview sessions

Networking events

Presentations from employers

Core skills improvements

We also hold regular events such as our annual Careers Fair where you will have opportunities to meet prospective employers. Our online jobs database can help you to search for vacancies, whether

part-time while you study or graduate opportunities. Current VISA regulations allow most international students to work for up to 20

hours per week while they are studying.

WHAT IS THE SOCIAL LIFE LIKE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON?The University of Northampton is a campus-based university. This means that you can benefit from living and studying in a safe and friendly environment. On-campus facilities include shops, restaurants and cafes, banks, sports facilities and our Students Union. The SU organises regular events for students and offers a number of social spaces for students to meet up, make friends and relax. There are a wide variety of student-run clubs and societies for you to get involved with, as well as various sports clubs that you can join.

CAN I LIVE ON CAMPUS?The University has a range of accommodation available on both of our campuses. As an international student you will be guaranteed a room on campus for your first year of studies if you apply in good time. Our options include single and shared rooms, en-suite and shared bathrooms and female-only accommodation. There is also plenty of private accommodation available in the local area if you do

not wish to live on-site.

Supporting students through the Pre-Sessional Academic English course

International Agents

The University of Northampton has a number of officially appointed representatives around the world. These

representatives will be able to assist you

in choosing the right course for you, the

application process, and any help and

guidance you may need.

We regularly visit our representative’s

offices to make sure they are fully up-to-

date with the latest developments at the University.

To see a full list of our international agents scan me.

Working with Eastern Asia University in BangkokRoss Thompson, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for the BAM Top-Up Degrees , spent five weeks working as a visiting professor at Eastern Asia University (EAU) in Bangkok (Thailand). Ross spent his time teaching the local students, working with EAU staff, meeting educational agents, visiting schools and educational fairs. Ross found the trip invaluable – apart from the heavy rains – and feels the experience has benefitted him greatly in terms of cultural understanding and sensitivity. Ross has been helping to finalise an agreement with EAU which will allow their students to study for one year in the UK and receive a dual Bachelor’s degree award.

Strategic HRM in Beijing

Dr Izabela Robinson, Programme Leader for MA HRM and PG Diploma HRM has just returned from visiting Capitol University of Economics and Business in Beijing where she delivered a series of lectures to undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students on the topic of Strategic HRM and thecontribution of SHRM to organisational performance.

international connections


Linda Lee-Davies, Senior Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour and HRM, Northampton Business School, was invited to present her latest paper on leadership at the European Conference for Management, Leadership and Governance held at the SKEMA Business School, France. The paper was peer reviewed as ‘excellent’ and proposed a new leadership model for Leadership Longevity for changing and volatile times. The model, which was drawn from six other leadership papers already published by Linda, was well accepted and praised.

Linda commented, “It was great to receive intellectual input from 80 academics, not just from Europe but from every part of the world, and see our work here at NBS stand strong on an international stage. I also received valuable advice on how to approach my PhD thesis and found many senior academic leaders very interested indeed in my more modern, commercial approaches within the University setting.”

Leadership promotedat European conference

Nadeem Khan and Ouarda Dsouli (Postgraduate Researchers of NBS ) presented the paper : Spiritual Capitalism: The co-evolution of an ethical framework based on Abrahamic Values, at Al-Akhawayn University, Ifrane, Morocco. Prof. Kakabadse contributed to the paper but was unable to attend. Islamic Values and Ethics were adopted to critically analyse Corporate Governance Systems of Islamic, European and Anglo-American countries before making recommendations for improving the Anglo-American Capitalistic System. This conference is part of a series of conferences taking place on Business Virtues from various religious traditions (e.g. Jewish, Islamic, Christian and Confucianism).

The University is located in the small town of Ifrane, in the middle atlas region of Morocco (at 5000ft altitude) and is known as little Switzerland as it has an alpine climate and ski-resort.

The opening address given by Prof. Ouaoucha, (President of Al-Akhawayn University) and Prof. Lenssen (President of EABIS) was followed by keynote speaker Prof. A.Toufiq (Minister of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Morocco). There were 14 presentations during the two days which covered Leadership; Banking and Finance; Management Practices; Human Resource Development and Spiritual Values and Culture from an Islamic Perspective. Research

Prof. Theodore Roosevelt Malloch and Prof. Habisch (EABIS) highlighted the importance of virtues in business and thanked delegates for attending.

Practical Wisdom for Management from the Islamic Tradition

SFIA in ChileIn early September Susan Bailey, Principal Lecturer and Field Chair for Information Sciences and her colleague Carole Morrell were invited to the Technological University of Chile INACAP by Chancellor, Gonzalo Vargas and the Dean of International Relations, Joaquin Valenzuela. Northampton Business School were the first to align and embed Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) into the curriculum and as such were approached to provide consultancy to the largest university in Chile.

Susan and Carole delivered a lecture on the implementation of SFIA across INACAP’s IT degree provision and provided workshop support. In addition they facilitated a comprehensive workshop for the faculty and administration team involved in the SFIA implementation process, on the practicalities of embedding SFIA in the curriculum. Talks are now underway to look at the feasibility of offering NBS students the opportunity to spend a year studying at INACAP. Susan really appreciated the interpretation and translation facilities which they commented were excellent, one of the interpreters had been employed by the Chilean Television network to give commentary on our Royal Wedding.

Professor Nick Petford, Vice Chancellor, and Dr Ian Brooks, Executive Dean, Northampton Business School travelled to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to meet with prospective higher education partners from Vietnam National University (VNU).

Professor Petford, signed a ‘Memorandum of Cooperation’ with Vietnam National University, recognising plans for the joint delivery of The University of Northampton’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme in the country.

The visit to Vietnam, hosted by Dr. Truong Quang Duoc, Vice Rector of VNU, builds upon previous meetings with The University of Northampton, which sent representatives from NBS to the 10th Anniversary celebrations of Vietnam National University Centre for International Education in April this year.

As part of these celebrations NBS signed a progression agreement which enables students from the Centre for International Education to gain advanced entry onto a number of NBS undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. In October 2011 NBS began welcoming its first students from the Centre for International Education onto courses in Northampton.

Ian Brooks, Executive Dean of Northampton Business School, commented:

“Vietnam National University is one of the most highly regarded universities in Vietnam. The agreement to deliver The University of Northampton MBA represents a considerable achievement for both organisations and also highlights another successful step in our ongoing internationalisation strategy.”

University of Northampton

launches MBA delivery in

partnership with Vietnam National

University


All aboard the floating conferenceHoracio Soriano-Meier, Senior Lecturer in Business and Economics has had four papers accepted for the 22nd International Conference on Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing (FAIM). The conference starts in Helsinki and continues aboard a ferry sailing to Sweden while hosting a series of seminars and key note speakers before sailing back to Finland.

The theme of FAIM 2012 conference is: Competitive and Sustainable Manufacturing and Service Systems and Technologies. The conference will cover a wide range of topics including Manufacturing and Service Systems, Integrated Product and Production Development and Manufacturing Technology and Processes.

The titles of Horacio’s papers are:

• “Leadtimeandvariabilityreductioninanaerospaceengine assembly process: a case study”

• “Isitwisetoadoptcoreleanmanagementprinciplesfirstbefore implementing ERP? If so, which ones and to what extent”

• “AnAISbasedapproachtoresolveforward-reverselogisticsmulti- period model with vehicle routing” and

• “TQMImplementationissuesinachilledfoodmanufacturing organisation: A case study”

We wish Horacio the best of luck finding his sea legs to present these ideas to the delegates.

To an audience of students, staff and local business people, the FT’s Peter Whitehead, Editor of the Executive Appointments section and the FT Non-Executive Directors Club gave a guest lecture entitled ‘How hard can it be to run a big business?’. Focusing on large publicly quoted companies, Peter looked at the current levels of executive pay compared to corporate performance, and suggested that there was an imbalance which business and society need to address. In a tour de force look back at the political, economic and financial developments of the last 30 years, Peter

comprehensively detailed how some of the current extremes of greed and short-termism have come about. There were, though, some green shoots of hope as young people and social entrepreneurs were creating new forms of capitalism, and Peter encouraged the large number of students to keep taking advantage of social media which opened up whole new opportunities for business networking.

Peter’s comments generated a large number of questions and debate, with a clarification that his remarks referred to large corporate not small and medium sized businesses run by owner managers. His comments echoed those of Northampton Business School’s Adrian Pryce, organiser of the event, who has just had his first academic article published, entitled Income Differentials and Corporate Performance. As a long time subscriber to the FT and the oldest paper delivery boy in the UK (handling the 200+ FTs each day as a free resource for NBS students) Adrian said ‘the event was a huge success even though not everyone agreed with Peter’s conclusions. A business school has a duty to encourage debate about business in society, and the high attendance reflects our students interest in thinking about such important issues.’

If anyone is interested in doing research in the area of executive pay or business in society as part of their dissertation please contact Adrian at [email protected].

Dr. Ian Brooks, Peter Whitehead and Adrian Pryce


Dr. Tambu Mangezi

In F cusIt’s not long ago since she was sitting at the student end of the room, here at the University of Northampton. Tambu has just completed a PhD in Entrepreneurship titled: Business Start-up Dilemma: Support Nascent Entrepreneurs or deliver contracts.

‘What a fantastic three years I have had here. I am not just saying this because my student days are gone. It’s because I enjoyed my studies and always found student academic support accessible’.

Tambu chose the University of Northampton for its approach to student recruitment and communication.

‘I did not know much about Northampton but for me the main attraction was the personal touch to everything. The details of the supervisors were available prior to applying’.

Having completed her first degree in Business Studies (Honours) at the University of Zimbabwe, Tambudzai worked in the banking sector. She was then awarded a British Chevening Scholarship for 2004-5 to study for an MBA in International Banking and Finance at the University of Birmingham.

‘After my MBA, I went back into banking and after a year I started to look for the next challenge. I applied for the PhD Studentship at the University of Northampton. I had done some research but I certainly had no idea of what I had gotten myself into, a test of endurance!’

After her PhD, she joined the Business School in October 2011 as Lecturer –

Financial Services. Before that she had worked for the University on a part-time basis as an academic tutor and research assistant.

‘My study and work experience at The University of Northampton gives me many perspectives on life around here. I can use this understanding to support and provide value to students’.

Tambu’s research interests are in nascent entrepreneur policy and support, SME’s funding and development, evolution of financial services regulation, and project evaluation.

Congratulations on receiving your doctorate Tambu

The Financial Times comes to Northampton Business School!

Northampton Business School has successfully completed a collaborative project with Shaoguan University in China, funded by the British Council Prime Minister’s Initiative For International Education (PMI2). The project was led by Dr. Shaowei He and Dr. Dave Burnapp at the University of Northampton and Professor Zhigang Yan at Shaoguan University.

The aim of this partnership is to help students of different cultures to work together to develop as global entrepreneurs, by enhancing their cross-cultural communication skills and knowledge of the business environment of other countries. In order to achieve this, the project team has created an innovative training module which aims to develop students’ cross-cultural understanding and communication skills alongside the traditional entrepreneurial and employability skills. The training module was

then piloted by students from both Northampton and Shaoguan working in collaborative learning groups using virtual learning environments and Web 2.0 applications.

The project has also sponsored several staff and student visits. This not only enabled staff to achieve mutual understanding and disseminate project outcomes but also allowed students from both countries to meet and socialise and therefore strengthen their relationships. One thing the project team is particularly proud of is the fact that participating students felt their involvement in the project has transformed them to be more cross-culturally aware, more outlooking, and more entrepreneurial.

The project has catalysed a stronger strategic partnership between Shaoguan University and the University of Northampton. There will be a continuation of collaboration between the two institutions, mimicking the model and utilising the training materials we have developed in this project but on a larger scale, with similar aims to address student employability and entrepreneurial competences in the global context. In addition, the two universities have agreed to continue working collaboratively on wider employability, entrepreneurship and other strategic areas.

One of the participants, Yumin Nie remarked that “The PMI2 project has given me a chance to learn about British business and culture. This was my first trip abroad and during my stay in Northampton I learnt about the difference between China and England and kept up with world affairs which broadened my horizons and enriched my knowledge.

I hope I will have a chance to participate in this kind of international project in the future”

Developing Global Entrepreneurs


Our Global Employability

InitiativeOne of the main reasons why individuals choose to study at the

University of Northampton is because they trust the University

to enhance their career prospects. This becomes enormously

important in view of the rising uncertainty and unpredictable global

job market. We recognise how important the investment in a UK

education is and ensure we provide future-oriented learning content

and the enhancement of critical professional and interpersonal

skills, recognising this is a key motivator for international students.

That is why for the University of Northampton employability is one

of its major focus areas. NBS has furthered an initiative, which

was originally suggested by international students. The “Global

Employability Initiative” prepares students with the necessary skills

for the competitive and challenging job markets in the student’s home

countries. The initiative not only directs students to study for the right

skills, knowledge, attitudes and commercial understanding, but also

matches students CV’s with specific work opportunities available.

Northampton Business School is actively expanding its existing

network of corporate links, and, in the first phase of the initiative, will

focus on India.

Employers often search for talent at universities where they have

successfully recruited from in the past, and from which they know

graduates leave with the desired skill sets, knowledge and personal

attributes enabling them to successfully and swiftly become

appreciated members in their organisation.

The Global Employability Initiative will

add substantial value to the students

study experience at the University of

Northampton.

Although this is a new project, the Global

Employability Initiative has already helped

Vinoth Kumar, an MBA student secure a

graduate position in India. The website

for the initiative is under development

and will display more examples, case

studies and other activities and events

that demonstrate the Business School’s

commitment toward global employability.

If you are an employer, an alumni, a

student or simply interested to find out more about the initiative,

please contact us any time at:[email protected]

or call 00 44 1604892644.

Vinoth Kumar


Diren Chedumbarum tells BusinessWise how his time at the University of Northampton helped him secure a position at Grant Thornton in Mauritius.

“I had been interested in the field of finance since secondary school and chose BA (Hons) Financial Services (BAFS) as I knew I would pursue a professional accountancy qualification after my degree. BAFS gives a broader view of the financial world, how to analyse financial data and ultimately understand real life business and financial news and decisions. Every module in the course was intellectually stimulating and course work ranged from creating a feasible business plan, advising clients on their financial situation to investing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). The course dealt with hot topics in the news such as

the effects of large supermarket chains, the downfall of Northern Rock and the changes in regulation implemented by the Financial Services Authority and the Bank of England.’

I am currently a Recovery and Re-Organisation Associate at Grant Thornton. My role involves gathering and selling the assets of companies under receivership or liquidation, making sure the process complies with relevant laws and regulation and advising companies/individuals how to better manage their finances so as not to go bankrupt. My degree is fully relevant to my current role as I have learnt all the basics required at university and I am just applying my knowledge in a real life situation.I would fully recommend the University of Northampton to anyone as the studying environment is great, students get the opportunity to develop on every level and it was good fun studying there, three of the best years of my life so far.”

Dinh Thuy Phuong, an MA Management (Marketing) student from Vietnam tells us of her time at Northampton Business School.

“The University of Northampton was my university of choice as it offered everything I needed including; the course I wanted to study on, a chance to experience British university life and a fantastic location to explore the UK and Europe.

The information gained on my course meant that I could apply it to the Vietnamese economic environment so it will greatly increase my employability. The course also taught me to think

critically which has been a challenge as I was a long term passive learner but I now understand that there can be more than one answer to a question.

I wanted to study in the UK to broaden my knowledge of other cultures. During my time in Northampton I made several friends of different nationalities. I participated in Muslim festivals, ate with my Hindu friends and joined church services with my African flat mates. These were very special times for me. I not only acquired knowledge and learning skills but I got to experience British life and to see how food is made without chopsticks!”

Case Study Diren Chedumbarum

Life without chopsticks by Dinh Thuy Phuong

Volunteering

Rehman Aslam, an MBA student with Northampton Business School recounts his experience as a volunteer.“I came from Pakistan with many queries, concerns and even fear in my mind about living in a different country. The Centre for Community Volunteering and the Student Ambassadors scheme at the University helped to calm my nerves. They are a really friendly group of people who are happy to help out others ranging from local community work to helping out with university social events. Their enthusiasm encouraged me to volunteer.

The first event that I helped with was ‘The Coca Cola Olympics Torch 2012’ event, a massive occasion. I was really nervous about what I would be doing and making sure that I was doing it right. However, after a briefing from Linda Davis, Head of the Centre for Community Volunteering , my fears vanished. I felt really proud of being part of the event. The event went smoothly and everyone was happy with the work they’d done. I went home with memories I will cherish forever.

Being a volunteer left me thinking; is it really that difficult to give something back to society? The answer? No.”

Giving something back...

Rehman and the Vice Chancellor

Professor Nick Petford


Xihui Chen talks to BusinessWise about her experience as a volunteer

“One of my favourite experiences at The University of Northampton has been my volunteering. I have built my confidence, improved my communication skills, met new people, gained knowledge and had a great time!

I have been involved in as many volunteering activities as I can including Children in Need and the Umbrella Fair. Volunteering lets me see my life in a different perspective. I feel that I am making a difference to somebody else’s life. The one event that will stay in my heart for a long time is the Olympic Torch tour event. I felt proud that I could be one of the volunteers! It was great fun to be able to see a lot of visitors coming to the campus and encourage them try a number of different sports and activities.

I feel that volunteering is invaluable and I would recommend that everyone takes the opportunity to experience it.”

Xihui ChenMSc Financial Analysis Management

UK postgraduate courses for January 2012 start Northampton Business School have a range of postgraduate courses starting in January 2012.

MSc Accounting & Finance

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

MSc International Banking and Finance

MA International Marketing Strategy

MA International Tourism and Hospitality Management

MSc IT Service Management

MA Management (Human Resources) (Marketing) (Tourism)

MSc Management (Financial Analysis) (International Logistics) (IT Services)

To find out more about these courses scan this code using your smartphone.

Scan me

Back in April, LA based entertainment public relations firm, Gorgeous Media Group, posted an advertisement for a ‘Public Relations Intern’ on us.music-jobs.com, fast forward five months past application forms, telephone interviews and countless hours of trawling though the American visa process I find myself staying at a hostel on Hollywood Boulevard ready to begin my first week as an intern.

My boss calls me on the Saturday before I am due to start work and before I know it I am being picked up in a black Porche and taken to a drama performance starring a talented artist Gorgeous were interested in signing. However that was just the start of the night, I am then whisked off to an exhibition opening at an art galley we handle PR for and after that I am taken to a concert fronted by a band we represent.

Looking back, that night pretty much summed up my life as a Gorgeous intern .

My 50 hour weeks are filled up with a variety of tasks including social media research and networking, assisting with mailings and distribution of press materials, assisting with the printing and packaging of materials, writing and distributing press materials, tracking and clipping placements, sitting in on client meetings to observe client relations and not forgetting on-site assistance at company events (which I found to be a great place to network).

It’s now November, I’m living in a great apartment close to the office and I’ve been given full control of my very own client, The Wailers (best known for their affiliation with Bob Marley before his death). I handle everything for them, their social media campaigns/networks, press releases, arrange album review and band interviews, inform and confirm press attendance at concerts, as well as always thinking of new and interesting ways to introduce a new fan base to the band.

With my internship at Gorgeous nearing its completion, my free time has been spent searching for my next placement. My internship has been demanding, often draining, but ultimately rewarding. I’ve been granted an opportunity that few are offered, through which I’ve been able to fine tune my professional writing style and found a unique voice for the press materials I write. I’ve been able to witness first hand how a successful media campaign is developed and executed, and have been immersed in situations that have often been depicted in class case studies. Most of all, I’ve learned the value of time management and networking. In fact, it’s through my connections that I’ve been offered my next placement, an internship at a boutique lifestyle PR company which has an office overlooking Venice beach. This will be a great opportunity to branch out and develop the skills I have already learned at my last position, whilst being able to experience PR tailored to a whole different audience.

Work placements abroad are a great way to show future employers your independence, your ability to adapt and your readiness to try things that aren’t considered conventional. To succeed you need to hit the ground running whilst being prepared for home sickness and a big culture shock. The rewards for completing an internship abroad (especially in a city you may want to work in later in life) can be great; and besides, living in Beverly Hills a stones throw away from Hollywood and Santa Monica beach has its perks.

Corbyn Asbury, BA Entertainment Marketing

A Gorgeous work placement

Corbyn on Hollywood Boulevard

Living it up in Beverly Hills

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We caught up with Shubnyz who took a placement year with Microsoft during her BA (Joint Honours) in HRM and Marketing degree programme.

Shubnyz decided to take a placement year to gain valuable work experience and partly, she confesses, to put off the challenges of writing a dissertation in her final year of study. Shubnyz made use of all the support offered by Northampton Business School, Centre for Employability to perfect her CV through the CV clinics and took part in the mock interview sessions to gain experience before she started applying for placement opportunities. Shubnyz had a number of telephone interviews which she admits were nerve racking to start with but did help to build her confidence.

After six months of searching for placements Shubnyz was delighted to be offered an opportunity with Microsoft (UK-Reading) working in the HR department and helping recruit the best graduates around the country and bringing them to Microsoft.

We asked Shubnyz a few questions:

What did your role involve?“My role fitted perfectly with my degree subjects and was exciting since I had exposure to both HR and Marketing. I met a lot of students from around the UK, did presentations at various universities and helped promote exciting products such as Xbox Kinect. Apart from promoting the company and encouraging students and graduates to apply at Microsoft, I also got involved in the company’s marketing and advertising campaign, I helped students with all their queries and organized various fun and informative events all year round for students and current Microsoft interns.”

What did you enjoy most about the experience?“The discovery! I discovered so much about myself which I believe is fantastic, I am more aware of my potential but also of my weaknesses but I got all the support needed from my team to improve and learn. I have a better idea of what I want to do after graduation and where I want to be. Being surrounded by so many smart and nice individuals is an opportunity to network and make contacts for the future. Also, I made myself a lot of new friends, which is always very pleasant”.

How do you think the experience will help you in your final year of study?“ Having been on a placement year is definitely a plus for me, I already have the research for my dissertation complete and my experience at Microsoft motivates me to work hard through this year to be apt to go back to a great company.”

Reflections on a placement year with Microsoft

Shubnyz


I am a University of Northampton student studying BA (Hons) Business Studies and I am currently undergoing a placement year. My post is that of an Employability Assistant at the Northampton Business School’s Centre for Employability which aims to enhance student employability during and after their graduation. I am originally from India where I grew up and completed my schooling and college in Mumbai.

I was never an academically oriented student which is what prompted me to travel to America to give me a much needed break to clear my head as well as travel and experience a new culture. I travelled for about 7-8 months around the USA meeting friends and relatives; the whole experience was very awe-inspiring as this was the first time I had travelled on my own.

I enrolled into a local Community College on a Bachelors of Business Management course, equivalent to the first two years of a university degree. I had the option to continue my studies in America or transfer to a UK degree, I consulted my academic counsellor and he advised me that I should come to the UK. I was keen on this as it would gave me a chance to travel again not only to England but to Europe as well, finish my

degree quicker and finally be able to call Football –Football and not Soccer. I decided to come to the University of Northampton because of it being in the heart of the UK and centrally located to all the big cities such as London, Birmingham and Bristol. Northampton is the biggest town in the UK and I did not want to go to a big city because life could get too hectic there.Studying BA (Hons) Business Studies with the placement year has to be the best decision I have ever made in my life, I am currently on a placement year with the university helping them start up a new department called the NBS Centre for Employability. This experience is going to be invaluable in terms of my personal and professional growth. The placement only lasts a year but what you learn from it lasts a lifetime.

The opportunity for students to mix with different cultures from all around the world is something everyone should be motivated to do in our constantly growing global world. It is a very multi-cultural university as the first friends I made were French and Dutch Nationals. The university has amazing teaching faculty that have real life experience in business and other fields which they then put forward for students to learn from.

I have studied in three different countries India, America and UK and the self-reflective learning technique taught within the University of Northampton has enabled me to learn more than in any other country in a focused way. I can now confidently say that I enjoy my studies and am more motivated than ever to do well academically as well as professionally. Studying at the University of Northampton has opened so many doors for me that I never knew existed and it has been a mesmerizing part of my life and I am only half way through it.

Case Study Tanish Thakker

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Issue 37

Get connected!If you would like to see what our students have been up to,

hear about forthcoming events or get the latest news from

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By Northampton Business School, The University of Northampton

Olympic Trip, November 201131 photos

Financial Times, Peter Whitehead, Editor - Guest Lecture12 photos

Marketing Division Lunch 28/09/1117 photos

Wall Photos19 photos

Cottesbrooke Opening39 photos

Visiting Professors1 photo

Pre-sessional Academic English - Children in Need24 photos

Fashion Marketing Welcome Week Trip16 photos

Sneaky peek10 photos

Pop Up Market 4 November 201113 photos

Marketers go bowling9 photos

Graduation July 201177 photos

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