1 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

Birmingham Business SchoolFirst destinations of postgraduates

What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

n EmployabilitydataforBusinesspostgraduates,2009–2013n Illustrationoftherangeofoccupationsundertakenbyourpostgraduates

www.birmingham.ac.uk/business

College of Social Sciences

2 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

Foreword

WEAREDELIGHTEDTOINTRODUCE‘WHATDOBIRMINGHAMPOSTGRADUATESDO?’WHICHLOOKSINDETAILATTHEFIRSTDESTINATIONSOFOURBUSINESSSCHOOLPOSTGRADUATES.

ThispublicationisdesignedtogiveaninsightintothekindsofemploymentsectorsandjobsforwhichapostgraduatedegreeinyourchosensubjectatBirminghamcanprepareyou.

Pursuingapostgraduatedegreeoffersyoutheopportunitytoexploreyourchosenareaofinterestindepth,aswellasdevelopingyourknowledgeandunderstandinginasubjectareaaboutwhichyouaretrulypassionate.Beyondthetransferableskillsthatyouwilltake

withyouintotheworkplace,yourpostgraduatequalificationwillgiveyouthechancetoengageincriticalenquiry,togrowasascholarandeventobecomeanexpertinyourfield.Here,weshowyouhowyourpostgraduatequalificationcanhelpyoumakethatknowledgeandexpertiseworkforyouaftergraduation.

Fortheschoolordepartmentthatisrelevant,youwillseeasnapshotoftheachievementsofourpostgraduatessixmonthsaftergraduation.Alldataistakenfromtheresultsofa‘DestinationsofLeavers’surveyissuedtoourpostgraduatesafterthistime.Youwillbeabletoseehowmanyofourpostgraduateswhorespondedtothissurveysuccessfullyenteredemploymentand/orfurtherstudywithinjustsixmonths,alongwitharangeofthediverseandexcitingcareeropportunitiesthatwillbeopentoyouafterstudyingforapostgraduatedegreeinyourchosenfield.

AccompanyingthedataarecasestudiesinwhichrecentpostgraduatealumnisharetheirexperiencesofpostgraduatestudyatBirmingham.Here,ouralumnitalkaboutthevalueinherentinpostgraduatestudy,theknowledgeandskillstheydevelopedduringtheirdegreesandwheretheirqualificationshavetakenthemsincegraduation.

Wehopeyoufindtheinformationpresentedhereusefulandouralumnistoriesinspiring.Weverymuchlookforwardtowelcomingyoutoourcampussoon.

3 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

100908070605040302010

02008/9

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

Percentage of taught postgraduate respondents in work and/or further study six months after graduation

76.7

91.6

73.178.2

83.8

100908070605040302010

0

Percentage of research postgraduate respondents in work or further study six months after graduation

2008/9

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

100 100 100 100 100

‘Birminghamprovidesaperfectenvironment,

bothsociallyandacademically;thecityis

aculturalmeltingpot,soIintegratedeasily.

TheUniversityprovidesexcellentfacilitiessuch

asprivateofficesandstudyroomsfordoctoral

researchers,aswellasaccesstoanextensive

rangeofacademicjournals.Thebestthing

aboutmytimeherewastheopportunity

topresentpapersatacademicconferences

andgetconstructivefeedback;thiswas

aconfidence-buildingmechanismthatpropelled

metopublishinginhighlyratedacademic

journals.Italsogavemetheopportunity

tointeractwithrenownedacademicssuch

asProfessorJosephStiglitz,formerChief

EconomistoftheWorldBank.

‘APhDfromBirminghamdemonstrates

acandidate’shighacademiccalibre

andleadershipskillsintheirprofessionalfield.

TheUnitedNationsselectedmeforchallenging

positionsinfinancebecauseofthisblend

ofbothprofessionalandacademiccredentials.’

Moses Tefula, PhDAccountingandFinance,graduated2001Moses undertook a PhD research project evaluating the performance of commercial banks in sub-Saharan Africa. He is now Chief Finance Officer with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, Switzerland.

LEARN MORE www.birmingham.ac.uk/business

SOURCE:Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Institutions,HigherEducationStatisticsAgency,2009–13

Birmingham Business School

EMPLOYABILITY

Highlights:Overthepastfiveyears:n 80.7%oftaughtpostgraduaterespondentswereinwork

orfurtherstudyjustsixmonthsaftergraduationn 100%ofresearchpostgraduaterespondentshadsuccessfully

foundworkorfurtherstudysixmonthsaftergraduating

Birmingham’sBusiness,ManagementandFinancepostgraduatesaresoughtafterbyawiderangeoffinancial,commercialandpublicsectoremployers.Theycantypicallyofferawiderangeofskillsincludinganalyticalandresearchskills,numeracy,communication,teamworking,andpoliticalandcommercialawareness.

Forthoseenteringemploymentaftergraduating,traditionallypopularareasincludebanking,accountancy/professionalservicesandfinancialservices.Manyofourprogrammesalsoinvolvestudyingtowardsaprofessionalqualification.

Furtherstudyisalsopopular;manyofourpostgraduatesinBusiness,ManagementandFinancegoontostudyforprofessionalqualifications,suchasACA,ACCAandCIMA,whileothershavegoneontostudyinavarietyofareasincludingeconomicsandlaw.Somealsochoosetostayinacademia,forgingtheirownresearchcareers.

Thetwochartstotherightshowresultsfrom‘DestinationsofLeavers’surveysforourBusiness,ManagementandFinancepostgraduatesoverthepastfiveyears.

BUSINESS,MANAGEMENTANDFINANCE

4 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

Range of employment sectors

n Accounting,bookkeepingandauditing

activities;taxconsultancy

n Advertisingagencies

n Businessandemployers’membership

organisations

n Businessandmanagementconsultancy

n Businesssupportservices

n Centralbanking

n Highereducation

n Informationtechnologyandcomputerservices

n Marketresearchandopinionpolling

n Monetaryintermediation

n Telecommunications

Range of employers

n AfricaDevelopmentBankGroup

n AmazonUK

n BeiersdorfUKLtd

n Centrica

n ChinaSecuritiesRegulatorCommission

n CoventryandWarwickshireChamberof

Commerce

n Deloitte

n DeutscheBank

n Ford

n GoldmanSachs

n LouisVitton

n MinshengFinancialLeasing

n TaylorandFrancis

n UniversityofBirmingham

n UniversityofWorcester

Range of occupations

n Analyst

n AssistantManagingDirector

n AuditorManager

n BusinessAnalyst

n BusinessandTechnologyConsultant

n FinanceManager

n HRSupervisor

n Lecturer

n ManagementConsultant

n ProcessEngineer

n ProcurementManager

n ResearchAssociate

n RiskManager

n SalesExecutive

n StrategicSourcingManager

n TaxAssociate

n TreasuryOperationsManager

‘Shortlyafter

graduation,Iapplied

formyroleasDirector

oftheCommercial

LoanManagementUnit

withHSBC.Iworkina

challengingrolewhere

Iprovidefinancial

andstrategicsolutionstocorporatecustomers.

IknewthatobtainingmyMBAwouldenable

metomovebetweensectorsandembrace

anewrole.WhiletheMBAwasanecessary

credential,itwasalsoimportantthatIcould

supportmyqualificationwithrelevantskills

alreadydevelopedfrommypreviousroles,

togetherwithdemonstratingacontinued

willingnessandenthusiasmtolearn.

‘Birminghamhasastrongreputationandis

aredbrickuniversity;anMBAfromsuchahighly

regardeduniversitysendsastrongmessage

toprospectiveemployers.Ialsostudiedmy

undergraduatedegreeatBirminghamand,

asIhadmanyfondmemories,Iwishedtoreturn

totheUniversitytocontinuemyacademic

experience.Thereisanextremelysupportive

andpositiveenvironmentforpostgraduate

studentsattheBusinessSchool.

‘MyexperienceatBirminghamhelped

shapeme,furtherbuildingmyconfidence,

independenceandculturalawareness.While

myMBAcontributedtomyacademicskillset,

itwasmyinvolvementinthebroaderuniversity

experiencethatshowedemployersthatIhad

talentsbeyondtheMBAqualification.Ifyou

makethemostoftheopportunitiesavailable

toyouatBirmingham,youwillbeabletoclearly

differentiateyourselffromyourcompetitors

whenapplyingforjobs.’

Andrew Dale, MasterofBusinessAdministration(MBA),graduated2010Originally from the United Kingdom, Andrew spent nine years working for PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG in Melbourne, Australia. Having decided he wanted to change industry and his area of expertise, Andrew returned to begin an MBA at Birmingham. He is currently a Director at HSBC’s head office in London, where he is responsible for advising the bank on complex financial and strategic solutions for corporate customers.

‘TakingupapostgraduatecourseatBirmingham

wasafantasticdecision.Ireallyenjoyed

mytimeattheUniversity,andtheteachingstaff

atBirminghamBusinessSchoolwerenothing

shortofexcellent.Educationaside,Ireallyloved

thecampus.Havingcomefromaverymodern

city,therichred-brickarchitectureofthe

Universitywasveryappealingtome.Finally,the

Universityalsopaidalotofattentiontocultural

andsocialdevelopmentandIwaspart

ofmanysocieties.

‘MyundergraduatedegreewasinComputer

ScienceandBusinessManagement.However,

havingstudiedthetechnicalsideofthings,

IrealisedIwantedtobeonthebusinessside

ofthingsinthetechnologyindustry.MyMasters

degreeinInternationalBusinessgavemethe

skillsandknowledgewhich,whenadded

tomyprevioustechnicalqualifications,

mademeasuitablecandidateforabusiness

roleinthedigitalindustry.

‘AftercompletingmyMScdissertationonsocial

media,Imovedintoasocialmedia-specificrole.

ItwasherewhereIwasabletoapplybothmy

technicalandbusinessknowledgeinanindustry

setting.Ithenmovedtoabroaderdigital

marketingroleatanewcompanycalledClique

Media.Havingdevelopedmyskillsthere,

Iamnowinamanagerialpositioninanew

start-up,5thBar.’

Bhavishya Kanjhan, MScInternationalBusinessBhavishya is now Business Manager for 5thBar, a mobile marketing agency based in Dubai.

LEARN MORE www.birmingham.ac.uk/business

Birmingham Business School

RANGEOFOCCUPATIONS

Below is an overview of the kinds of employment sectors, organisations and professions that recent Business, Management and Finance postgraduates have entered, based on responses to ‘Destinations of Leavers’ surveys conducted six months after graduation.

5 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

(PGTandPGRdataarecombinedhereasPGRdataonlyexistedfor2010/11withonlyonerespondent)

‘IopenedJModelManagement,aglobalfashion

showcompanyonemonthaftergraduatingfrom

theUniversityofBirmingham.Idecidedtoopen

myownbusinessasIwantedtoproducemy

owneventsandmakefulluseoftheskillsIhad

learntduringmystudies.Mybusinesshasgrown

fromitsinitialrootsinBirminghamtoaglobal

businesscoveredbyinternationalpublications

andmediaacrossfivecontinents.

‘Ihavealsorepresentedandpartneredwith

thebiggestbrandsinthefashion,beauty,hotel

andrestaurant,foodandbeverage,car,airline,

tourism,andeducationindustries.

‘Ibecamethefirsteverfashionshoworganiser

toturnLondon’sTowerBridgeintoacatwalk

inOctober2011,followedbytheworld’shighest

fashionshowonthePETRONASTwinTowers’

SkybridgeinMarch2012.

‘SincethenIhavealsosetothermilestones

inthefashionworldwithafloatingcatwalk

ontheRiverSeineinParisandtheworld’s

firstsundeckcatwalkontheItaliancruiseship

Costa AtlanticaoverlookingtheDubaiskyline.

Inrecognitionofmyworkandthese

achievements,IwasnamedGlobalFashion

MoverandShaker(MarieClaire),StyleIcon

(Glam),andGlobalFashionMaven(MEGA

Style)in2012.’

Jessica Minh Anh, MScMarketingCommunicationsJessica is now a global fashion show organiser and model. She has organised fashion shows on London’s Tower Bridge and on a catwalk 90 metres above the Seine in Paris.

LEARN MORE www.birmingham.ac.uk/ marketing

100908070605040302010

02008/9

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

Percentage of postgraduate respondents in work and/or further study six months after graduation

70

87.5 86.7 8793.5

inmarketingandadvertising.Accountancyandbusinessconsultancyarealsopopulardestinations.

Thefollowingchartshowsresultsfrom‘DestinationsofLeavers’surveysforourMarketingpostgraduatesoverthepastfiveyears.

SOURCE:Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Institutions,HigherEducationStatisticsAgency,2009-13

Birmingham Business School

EMPLOYABILITY

Highlights:Overthepastfiveyears:n 85%oftaughtpostgraduaterespondentswereinwork

orfurtherstudyjustsixmonthsaftergraduationn 100%ofresearchpostgraduaterespondentshadsuccessfully

foundworkorfurtherstudysixmonthsaftergraduating

LiketheirpeersfromtheotherdepartmentsinBirminghamBusinessSchool,Birmingham’sMarketingpostgraduatesaresoughtafterbyawiderangeofemployersinbusiness,industryandthepublicsector.Aswellasdevelopingknowledgeinkeyareasincludingconsumerbehaviour,marketingmanagement,marketingresearchandmarketingstrategy,Marketingpostgraduatesdevelopawiderangeofskillsincludinganalyticalandresearchskills,numeracy,communicationandpresentationskills,teamworking,andpoliticalandcommercialawareness.

OurMScprogrammesinMarketingandInternationalMarketingareconversionprogrammesforapplicantswithoutpreviousknowledgeorexperienceinmarketing,butwhowishtodeveloptheirknowledgeandstartcareersinmarketingorrelatedareas.Consequently,manyofourMarketingpostgraduatesgoontosecuretraineeroles

MARKETING

(nodatafor2008/9or2009/10)

100908070605040302010

02010/11

2011/12

Percentage of research postgraduate respondents in work and/or further study six months after graduation

100 100 100

SOURCE:Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Institutions,HigherEducationStatisticsAgency,2009-13

2012/13

100

6 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

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Range of employment sectors

n Accounting,bookkeeping,auditing

andtaxconsultancy

n Advertising

n Businessandmanagementconsultancy

n Businesssupportservices

n Education

n Informationtechnologyandcomputerservices

n Marketresearchandpublicopinionpolling

n Manufactureoffoodproducts

n Monetaryintermediation

‘Sincegraduating,Ifind

myselfenjoyinghaving

ajobwhereIcanapply

everythingIhavelearnt

frommyexperienceat

BirminghamBusiness

School.Ienjoythe

factthatIamdoing

somethingIlike,whichinvolvesanalytical

thinkingandcreativity.Irelishthemultinational

ambiencewithaveryfriendlyenvironment,while

atthesametimebeingbasedinmyhomecity,

whichmeansI’mamongstmyfamilyandfriends.

‘MyMScgavemeamoreprofoundknowledge

fromastrategicpointofview,whichisexactly

whatIneededforthecareerIwasplanning

topursue.Today,Icanapplymytheoretical

andacademicknowledgeinamorepractical

sense.MyStrategicManagementmodulewas

particularlyinsightfulandvaluable,withan

excellentprofessor.Itgavemeknowledgeabout

strategyandincludeddifferentframeworksinan

interestingway.

‘Thedissertationwasakeychallengesinceit

wasthefirsttimeIhadcompletedone—from

findingatopictoresearchingandthenanalysing

it.Throughhardworkanddedication,aswell

assupportfrommylecturers,Iproduceda

dissertationthatreceivedadistinction,an

achievementofwhichIamhighlyproud.’

Kareem Farid, MScStrategicMarketingandConsulting,graduated2011Kareem now works in Egypt as a Planner for advertising corporate J Walter Thompson (JWT). Kareem develops strategies for the company’s marketing campaigns based on consumer data.

LEARN MORE www.birmingham.ac.uk/ marketing

Birmingham Business School

RANGEOFOCCUPATIONS

Below is an overview of the kinds of employment sectors, organisations and professions that recent Marketing postgraduates have entered, based on responses to ‘Destinations of Leavers’ surveys conducted six months after graduation.

Range of employers

n AssociatedBritishFoods

n Capgemini

n CBRE

n Heineken

n KraftFoods

n MarksandSpencer

n Samsung

n Santander

n Vaisala

n VolkswagenGroupChina

Range of occupations

n AssociateProfessor

n BrandDevelopmentExecutive

n CorporateAccountManager

n InsightOfficer

n JuniorMarketResearchExecutive

n MarketAnalyst

n MarketingExecutive

n RealEstateMarketer

n SalesDevelopmentExecutive

n SeniorSupervisor

n SpendManagementAssociate