How has your career developed since graduating from the University of Birmingham? Did you need to take additional training on top of your degree?

It has been less than four months since I graduated so my career has not taken the time to develop in a noticeable manner, however I have become more interested in the entrepreneurial route recently which has required additional learning from places like digital boost, enterprise nation, YouTube, Google Digital garage and Barclays Eagle Labs. I have found these learning experiences extremely valuable and very interesting as it provides an insight as to what would be necessary to transform a mathematical endeavour into an enterprising one. 

What advice would you give to current and prospective students looking to work in your sector?

Get some experience! Elevate allowed me to be re immersed into a classroom environment and see firsthand the issues facing students. This, coupled with my teaching internship I did from Get Into Teaching over the summer gave me a huge appreciation for the effort that teachers put in and the range of educational services that are available. 

What advice would you give to current students studying on your degree programme?

Ask lots of questions and give before you take. Maths is difficult and without clarification, the concepts will never make sense fully. Also, if you see someone struggling or if someone asks for some hints on the assignment, there is no benefit to gatekeeping your answers, so help them out. Not only does it help you understand the content better, but when you are inevitably stuck on something you have a bunch of people who are now more willing to help you out. 

What would you recommend students should do at university, over and above their academic study, to make them more employable in the graduate market?

Get involved in multiple societies and meet a range of people. So much of working is learning to work professionally with people from different backgrounds and interests so the more exposure you have of thrusting yourself into these environments, the more examples you’ll accrue for the classic interview questions such as ‘tell me about a time you excelled at something outside of academia’. Also, you’ll become a better person to be around because you’ll have more stories to tell anyone you meet. 

Did you take advantage of support services offered by the University for example Careers Network and Wellbeing, and if so, what impact did they have on you?

I have used Careers Network since graduating which has given me more ideas for companies to apply for. 

What are your fondest memories of the University and what would you say to anyone currently considering studying at Birmingham?

I loved walking to campus nearly everyday. Whilst I saw it as a chore at times (especially if it was raining), I often think about how many times I did it throughout my studies and can recall walking to hockey practice, running late to a lecture, heading over to Joe’s to meet up with someone or swinging by for a rehearsal. Regardless of the actual activity I was doing on campus (studying or socialising or sport), it would always involve the walk along Edgbaston Park Road and through the Vale (as I lived in Maple Bank during my Postgraduate) which was picturesque whatever the season. To anyone considering coming to Birmingham, I’d say if you do, embrace what makes University of Birmingham unique as much as possible. You’ll see what I mean when you get here and I’m sure that when you leave, you’ll have been able to spot these on your morning walks in. 

What were your favourite things about Birmingham the city? How did it compare to your expectations?

The library. More specifically the secret garden (yeah, not so secret now). It is the one place that I take friends and family who visit me because it is something that only the locals really know about but offers fantastic views of the city where you can see the Jewellery Quarter, Alexander Stadium, Digbeth and the Edgbaston cricket ground (which I frequented often to watch the cricket). If you’re in town, give it a go. You certainly won’t be disappointed. 

What extracurricular activities did you get involved in as a student?

Whilst I was at University of Birmingham for my postgraduate, I got most heavily involved in Medics Hockey. I went on their international and domestic tour, played hockey nearly three times a week and competed in the National Association of Medical Societies final in Nottingham which was one of my favourite memories that year. As well as their socials, I often went to those put on by CricSoc throughout the year and their indoor nets, playing in the indoor and outdoor summer league for them. I also got stuck in with EPS Netball in my first term which gave me a chance to do some exercise on a Tuesday evening, as well as ValeFest where I was briefly the Head of Relations before we had a major reorganisation of the festival. Finally, I wouldn’t have been a maths student without getting involved in mathsoc and their socials. 

Please tell us about your experience studying and living away from home.

Learning to live with other people can be hard and it’s really pot luck for your first year. It took me three years of undergraduate studies to live with people who I really liked spending time with so although there is a rush to get the best houses quickly for your second and third years of study, don’t feel obliged to get tangled up in that. With regards to studying, I didn’t really work out what works for me until midway through second year. You’ll make mistakes in terms of your organisation and learning what to study and how to study it most effectively, but that is all part and parcel of uni so embrace it. 

Why did you originally apply to Birmingham?

 For my undergraduate studies, Birmingham was my second choice so it felt natural to continue to study here in a familiar location, close to where my friends and I studied at Warwick. It struck the right balance between being far away and not too far away from home, and the fact that I had already lived here whilst I volunteered for the Commonwealth Games meant that it was somewhere I felt I could restart my studies on a safe footing.