How one guest lecture changed my mindset and led me to securing a placement
By Lakshya Chaudhary, India. April 2026
The email arrived on an ordinary Monday in Nottingham. I was offered a placement and signed my contract.
For a moment, I just stared at the screen, letting it sink in. Then I called home to Gurgaon. Even when the excitement settled, one thought kept returning in my head: this didn’t happen because of one application...it happened because of the everything I did that led me to this offer.
My name is Lakshya Chaudhary, and I’m from Gurgaon, India. I’m currently in my second year studying BSc Data Science in the School of Science and Technology. I’ve always been fascinated by the invisible mechanics behind digital world and how companies understand your preferences, why certain adverts follow you, and how data quietly shapes business decisions across industries.
When I started my course, I didn’t expect that NTU, the people, the community and the opportunities would shape me more than any modules could. Receiving an NTU Scholarship Award was also one of my proudest moments. It made me feel seen before I had even started my studies.
The moment I arrived and everything became real
My NTU journey began before I boarded the plane. I attended an NTU event in New Delhi, met university representatives, and connected with other prospective students. That early interaction gave me confidence before I had even packed my bags.
But arriving in Nottingham was still surreal. You step off the plane and realise you’re truly on your own now - new city, new culture, no one cooking for you. What made the transition smoother was a promise I made to myself: show up from day one. I went to welcome events, introduced myself to strangers, and made some of my earliest friends simply by being proactive.
There was also a moment early on when I missed a few contact points and received an email that genuinely panicked me as an international student. I reached out to my course leader and explained everything. They responded, listened to me and reassured me completely. That was the moment when I saw exactly how supportive university is.
If you’re preparing to arrive, I can’t emphasise this enough: go to the welcome events. The friendships you build in those first weeks will carry you through your entire journey.
How to be adaptable: the skill that changed everything for me
The moment that changed my mindset happened in a first‑year guest lecture. I don’t remember the lecturer’s name, but I remember the exact seat I was in. The speaker said something that completely reframed how I saw my future:
“In a world that changes so quickly, there are no set of skills that makes you ready for everything. The real skill is learning how to learn. Stay adaptable. Stay ready for whatever comes next.”
That idea became the foundation of everything I did next.
That summer, instead of switching off like most first-year students, I decided I wouldn’t wait for opportunities and I’ll create them. I started networking. I networked relentlessly, reached out to people, attended events, and leaned on every connection I had, including family. Through being so persistent, I secured a Business Analyst internship.
During that internship, I learned Power BI, gained my first real experience in the UK‑based company, and found a mentor I still speak regularly with today. I often turn to them for professional advice. That internship was my first real stepping stone in my journey and a proof to myself that if you are willing to create your own opportunities, no one can stop you.
Growing as a person by getting involved with NTU
Becoming a Course Representative was one of the most grounding decisions I made. I gathered feedback from students, presented it in committee meetings, and watched some of those changes actually get implemented in both lectures and course structure.
That was the moment I truly realised: your voice matters here. NTU doesn’t just listen - it knows that student’s face challenges and acts to address them.
I was nervous in my first committee meeting to speak in front of staff. However, seeing other students speak confidently pushed me to do the same. The School of Science and Technology creates an environment where students are encouraged to raise real feedback, and that makes a huge difference.
I also became the Founding Volunteer and Creative Lead of a student initiative focused on design and creative mock-ups. Working with people to bring their ideas to life taught me something important: listening deeply matters just as much as creative skill. You have to understand what someone means, not only what they say.
Through this role, I connected with communities across the UK, including Nigerian Society, Pakistani Society, Sudanese Society, and more. Each community had its own culture and its own definition of the world or ambition. It made me realise that the way I had always thought about ambition was shaped by where I came from and that other people had equally important ideas of seeing the same thing. It opened my mind that my way is not the only way and it made me a better collaborator.
NTU prepares you for real-world experience
This year, in my Professional Development module, my student project team chose Jaguar Land Rover as our real world client - a project that ran for 12 weeks. We have built a dashboard for them, and we’ve had a few formal client meetings.
My team and I have recently won Best Project for this, which was a really proud moment for me. It was especially exciting to see that we got recognised for all the work we had put into the project. As part of the prize, we have been offered further mentoring support from Stephen Child and the JLR team.
What makes this experience exciting for me is that, before this project, I still felt like I was in a university bubble. Starting this project changed that for me.
As a data science student, I had limited web development experience, but this project pushed me to learn Java, TypeScript, UI/UX design, and even how to work with SQL and code to enter and edit data. I learnt how to create and host datasets within a working project.
One of the biggest lessons has been learning how to work as a team. Embracing everyone’s strengths, growing together and delivering work that meets real client expectations.
Everything I’m learning so far and have yet to learn is because NTU creates these opportunities.
How did I secure my placement year: the work behind the offer
The Cummins placement didn’t happen overnight. It was the result of months of discipline, persistence, and support.
When I started applying for placements, NTU’s employability team supported me at every step of the way. I had Microsoft Teams call during Summer 2025 when I stayed back home in Gurgaon, and when I was in Nottingham, I attended in-person sessions to review my CV and asked my personal tutor to check my cover letter. Having those conversations about placements while I was away from Nottingham showed me that NTU’s support does not stop just because you are not on campus.
I stayed disciplined every single day from summer through to November 2025, when the Cummins offer finally came through.
A few practical steps that helped me along the way:
- Using NTU’s Employability Team. From Teams calls in the summer to in‑person drop‑ins.
- Making most of my Professional Development module.
- Starting early - long before deadlines.
- Tailoring every CV and cover letter to the job description.
- Being open to learning new skills.
- Networking intentionally - because connections open doors applications can’t.
When the offer finally came through in November 2025, it felt like every small step had led to that moment.
Final thoughts: show up before you feel ready
Looking back, the applications were only the final part of the story. The confidence, adaptability, and ability to walk into a room full of strangers and hold my own came from every community I joined, every committee room I sat in, and every client meeting I showed up for.
Do not wait until you feel ready. Show up before you feel ready and get involved before you know exactly why.
If the younger me back in India could see where simply showing up would lead, I think he would smile! And if you’re sitting there wondering whether NTU is the right place for you, I hope this helps you just a little toward feeling more certain.