When I found out that I had been rejected from Southampton University, I cried for three days. So many emotions were running through my mind, ‘I’ll never get into a better University’, ‘I’ve ruined my career prospects’, ‘I’ll never meet my future spouse’. I felt like my entire 10-year plan had been snatched out of my hands.
I still vividly remember the phone call I had with a woman from Brunel’s clearing department. Her friendly tone and delight on hearing that I wanted to study Economics at the University.
With hindsight, it is I who is grateful to have been given the opportunity to study at Brunel. (I never met my future spouse there, but you can’t have it all).
I made friends that I still keep in touch with every single day. I learnt how to cook (this divides opinion), budget, self-study, and most importantly to me, manage the direction of my career. My placement, advertised through the Placement and Career’s Centre, was at Newedge brokerage. This proved invaluable experience that would be the foundation of my career within Financial Crime Prevention.
Graduation came at a time when the full effect of the economic downturn was being felt in graduate recruitment, so I feel exceptionally fortunate that my year in industry and degree allowed me to secure a job at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. I started work before my graduation ceremony, and all due to the skill set I had developed during my time at Brunel. Brunel is the perfect environment for anyone to thrive. Grasp every opportunity, and not even a global recession will be able to hold you back.
#IamBrunel