Tom
Wright

What is your favourite thing about your course?

The optional modules and the student support are my favourite things about this course. They both provide every student the chance to make their degree their own and get as much out of it as possible.

Have you had the option to personalise your course and experience at Nottingham Business School? How has this benefitted your studies?

Yes, specifically with the optional modules in second and final year which gave me the opportunity to specify the route I wanted my course to go down. The optional modules also helped with my research project as I was able to link my project title to work I had done in these modules.

Can you tell us a bit about your placement?

My placement was a thirteen month long placement at an automotive manufacture called Forvia. They are one of the biggest companies in the world – and likely one many people haven’t heard of – with 1 in 2 vehicles in the world containing a part made by Forvia. I was based in the Lichfield site undertaking an Operations Management intern role, supporting the final Assembly Manager. My placement provided me with valuable skills such as Excel skills, problem solving skills and industry specific analysis tools such as PDCA and 8D QRCI. The placement consisted of a lot of data analytics relating to performance as well as improvement work on the assembly floor to make the manufacturing process more efficient.

Do you have any advice for future students on how they can make the most of their time at NBS?

I think a placement is a very valuable tool to use while at NBS, especially with the support of the employability team and the InPlace site that has links to loads of different placements. I would also advise that future students enter each new seminar group with a clear mind as you can be surprised by who you make friends with and where your skillset lies.

What three words would you use to describe Nottingham?

Vibrant, friendly and beautiful.

How have you found Nottingham as a student city?

I have found that living in Nottingham has been great as there are so many other students to meet and always events happening. There are also many student-friendly bars and restaurants offering student deals that helps as well as plenty of opportunities for jobs.

Did you find it easy to make friends at NTU?

I found it relatively easy to make friends and I think this was actually helped by my first year which was spent in lockdown as I became close with a lot of my flatmates that I was living with as well as people in other flats. I also think that, as there are so many people and students in Nottingham, once you become friends with one person, it is likely that will lead to more friends as they may be friends with other people.

What do you think of the support available at NTU?

I would say the support at NTU is great as course staff are always offering their support in lectures and seminars and promoting their office hours. Also, student support with academic mentors and general support from peers is always really great. The employability team send a lot of emails out to make students aware of events that are happening and ways they can improve their job prospects too which is helpful.

What's next for you after NTU?

After NTU I am looking to take a year to travel the world while also continuing to improve my skillset. With the rise of remote working, I am planning to find a remote working job that will allow me to work from anywhere in the world and also earn money while travelling. While I am not necessarily looking at a graduate scheme, I am still looking to gain more qualifications and may potentially complete a project management course.