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Robert Hughes

Robert
Hughes

United Kingdom
In my first year, I was elected as the course representative for my course and after as the school representative for second-year students. These roles have allowed me to improve on practical skills as well as working with staff to improve the Business School.

More about Robert

What made you choose to study at NTU?  

“At the time of applying, Nottingham Trent and the Business School had 5 stand out features that made it an attractive place for me to want to study. The location of the city campus in relation to the wider city, including the culture and variety the city had to offer. The flexibility of the course I was applying for. The employability support on offer and industry links with employers and alumni. Finally, the investment that has been made in the University and the clear vision that all the staff and leadership had to make it a leading university.”

What were the key features that attracted you to your course?

“The course is very broad in its curriculum as suggested by the title, this appealed to me as at the time I was not certain if accounting was the path I wanted to take in my career and allowed me to study different areas of business that might interest me. Despite this, the course still offers exam exemptions from the ACA, the ICAEW qualification needed to become a qualified chartered accountant, something I was interested in potentially doing.”

What do you enjoy most about your course?

“The course offers a fantastic opportunity in the second year to customise the course how you want. This can be to study abroad in a partner university, work in the University’s innovation centre (The Hive) on starting your own business or to continue with regular taught modules. Although I continued with regular taught modules I liked having the option that if I had a good business idea I could have done this as part of my course. I also enjoy having the flexibility to pick option modules and study areas which were of more significant interest to me.”

Tell us about your placement.

“Between my second and final year, I completed a 1-year work placement at big four accounting firm PwC in their audit practice. Throughout the year I worked on around a dozen audits including those of FTSE 100 clients. During the year, I also got the opportunity to study for and sit 7 out of the 15 ACA exams needed to qualify as an ICAEW chartered accountant.”

How will your course and placement enhance your employability for your chosen career? What skills have you gained?

“My placement has given me vital insight into the working culture at a big four professional services firm. I’ve also acquired specialised skills in the audit methodology used by professional services firms to analyse company accounts and their overall financial position. As well as technical skills, I’ve also expanded my network further which could benefit me further on in my career. I was lucky enough to secure a job offer at PwC for when I return after my final year continuing in the second year of their graduate programme.”

What opportunities have you had as a result of studying with NBS? How have these activities contributed to your university experience?

“In my first year, I was elected as the course representative for my course and after as the school representative for second-year students. These roles have allowed me to improve on practical skills as well as working with staff to improve the Business School further using the suggestions and input from the student body. These roles also opened doors for me, such as getting the opportunity to meet with Philip Augar, the chair of the government’s review into Post-18 Education Funding. I also was grateful to be able to attend paid-for summer school abroad in Europe after my first and second years of uni which I thoroughly enjoyed and made a lot of friends. The connections I made in the above roles also allowed me to be recommended for and successfully appointed as a Student Trustee of Nottingham Trent Student’s Union. This is a unique experience in that I get to contribute and experience what serving on the board of multi-million-pound charity is like – something which I’m proud to have on my CV and will potentially open doors to further charity board work in the future. My experiences are a testament that opportunities are free-flowing at Nottingham Trent, if you are prepared to take them.”

Why would you recommend your course / NTU to someone looking to study in that area?

“The University is very focused on student satisfaction and it’s very clear in all areas of this course. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and the course is helpful for anyone wishing to pursue a career in these areas. Opportunities are plentiful to build and work on your CV. The facilities are first class and the location of the campus in relation to the city makes it a great place to live. Nottingham Trent has won several awards over the past few years and as a student, it’s easy to see why.”

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