What course did you study? 

I graduated from Queen’s Business School in 2018 with a BSc Business Management.

 

Why did you choose this course? 

I chose the Business Management course because of my enjoyment of Business Studies at both GCSE and A Level, additionally with a natural interest in areas such as marketing, economics, business, and international affairs. The course appeared to be a well-suited blend of these topics, and my experience in studying it validated this choice. 

 

What has your career path been since graduation?  

I joined EY Consulting in 2018 as a graduate and have been there for 5 years now. Last year, I was promoted to Manager. I have had the opportunity to work across the public and private sector on a diverse range of large-scale transformation programmes as well as smaller, more bespoke pieces of strategy or research-related work during my time at EY. 

 

How did your degree prepare you for your current job role? 

My degree equipped me with the communication and collaboration skills I need every day in my job, through a combination of research, essay-writing, group projects and presentations. Most days in work, I need to lead or participate in meetings with a variety of people, or I need to write succinct reports or develop engaging presentations for a range of audiences. My degree definitely gave me a core grounding in these skills which I've gone on to refine in my job. 

 

What were your favourite courses, modules or educational takeaways from your time at Queen's and why were they impactful? 

I really enjoyed a module on Business Analysis and Research, taken in my final year. We had to take forward a group project in partnership with the YMCA in Belfast, through which we explored the reasons behind low uptake of young men in youth programmes. We spent a lot of time conducting interesting primary research, interviewing youth workers and young people across Belfast and delivering a final report and presentation. The 'real-world' aspect of it was really enjoyable and pushed me in terms of developing new skills. 

 

Did you do any extra-curricular activities whilst at Queen’s? How did this help you to advance personally and professionally?   

I acted as the Head of Music for Queen's Radio, the University's student radio station, during my degree. My main motivator was my love for live music, and to this day I credit this experience as one of the most formative aspects of my university experience.

I gained experience in leading a team of volunteers, managing stakeholders (our network of music promoters around the UK and Ireland), event management (running a live music series in the Union) and public speaking, through interviewing musicians and hosting my own radio show. As you can imagine, I still use almost all of those skills most days! I also met some of my closest friends and my now husband, so it definitely impacted me on a personal level too. 

 

What advice do you have for someone considering studying at Queen’s Business School?  

Look beyond just the degree and you will see how many things Queen's can offer you. There is an extra-curricular for everyone, whether your passion is music, sport, drama, poetry or anything else you can think of.

There is also a host of great work experience opportunities through placements, internships, the study abroad scheme and some of the city visits and leadership programmes you can apply to. Queen's offers a well-rounded university experience beyond your academic course.  

 

What career advice would you give someone looking to go down a similar career path as you?   

Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and take on new opportunities when they come. Working in consulting means you will spend a lot of time trying to solve complex problems for your clients, and you will work with a wide variety of people to achieve this.

The more comfortable you are with being adaptable to change, flexible and able to build relationships with new people, the better! 

 

What has been your career highlight so far?  

I had the opportunity to spend a year working in the EY London office on an exciting project when I was a new graduate. I hadn't spent much time outside of Northern Ireland before that, so the experience really pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and make the transition from university student to starting my professional career.

This was equal parts challenging and extremely rewarding, and I got to spend a lot of my time in one of my favourite cities which was a nice bonus. I was also able to participate in the NI Boardroom Apprentice programme in 2022-23, thanks to the investment EY makes in its people for their professional learning and development. Since completing the programme, I've joined the Board of a local charity in NI and this new experience has been a real highlight of my career to date. 

 

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