Students visit companies in London and Manchester to explore their career interests

As part of Newcastle University Business School’s Careers Success week in November, 97 students were given the exciting opportunity to spend the day visiting companies in London and Manchester, including Santander, HSBC, and EssenceMediacom.

Manchester

Students participating in the Manchester treks were able to visit EssenceMediacom or BNY Mellon, before reuniting for an alumni panel event about living and working in the city.

EssenceMediacom

The visit to global digital marketing agency EssenceMediacom involved a tour of the company’s Manchester offices, emphasising the open, collaborative nature of the workspace. This was accompanied by an industry insight discussion where students heard from current employees, including Newcastle University Business School alumni, about their experiences in the sector. Discussions involved advice on transitioning from university to the professional realm, the importance of soft skills, and the unique experience of living and working in Manchester.

BNY Mellon

The visit to financial services company BNY Mellon was equally as inspiring and informative, as the participants heard from a panel of recent graduates who shared their experiences of working at the company and building their careers in finance from a range of diverse backgrounds. The students also learned about internship programmes and early career opportunities at BNY Mellon. They were provided with valuable advice on sought-after skills and attributes to develop during their studies.

Connor Healey from BNY Mellon commented: “It was a pleasure to welcome students from Newcastle University Business School to the BNY Manchester office. Engagement like this is a fantastic way to connect talented students from northern Universities with northern employers and it was great to see such insightful and thought-provokingquestions from the attendees. Thank you to the Business School for facilitating the day and for providing such an engaged group of students.“

Alumni panel discussion

These enlightening sessions were then followed by a panel discussion, where alumni Sam Birtles, Kirsten Black, and Jamie Mounsey joined the students for a candid chatabout their own professional experiences. Students particularly appreciated the panellists’ openness about navigating challenges in their roles and their emphasis on the non-linear nature of many career journeys.

Ugochi Ihedilionye (MSc Accounting, Finance and Financial Analysis student) commented: “The alumni session was eye-opening. Hearing their stories of starting out just like us, facing doubts, high and low moments, figuring things out along the way, making the best decisions, and ultimately succeeding gave me a boost of motivation.”

London

Students interested in a future career in London made the journey down to the capital to visit six different companies and come together in the evening for an alumni networking event.

One group eager to learn more about the world of investment banking visited Hawksford, a global provider of corporate, private client, and fund services.

The students heard about Hawksford’s client-first ethos and focus on relationship management, as well as from current employees working in diverse areas of the company such as marketing and audit.

Following this, they travelled to HSBC’s global headquarters in Canary Wharf, and experienced a tour of the building, including the executive boardroom and panoramic views of the city.

The visit also included a panel discussion, where students learned about HSBC’s graduate programmes, international career opportunities, and commitment to internal mobility.

Bloomberg

Participants interested in financial services began their day with a visit to Bloomberg’s EMEA headquarters. The building tour was a particular highlight, as the students learned about the company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation and were able to see the UK newsroom in person.

The visit also included an insightful Q&A with Newcastle University alumni working in various fields at Bloomberg, including data analysis and account management.

Bloomberg trip host and alumnus Cameron Bateman said “It has been a pleasure to welcome another intelligent and enthusiastic group of students to Bloomberg. It’s invaluable to be able to provide support and advice to people so driven and enthused by their future career prospects.”

Santander

From Bloomberg, the students made their way to Santander’s head office, where they had the opportunity to hear from a panel, including recent graduates who shared their experiences on Santander’s graduate scheme and provided insights into a day working for the company. The students also received practical advice on the application and interview process. 

Incendium and PwC

The final group of students joined the trek to discover more about the consulting sector. They first visited real estate consulting firm Incendium, where they learned about the company’s core values, as well as hearing from graduates about why they chose to begin their careers at the boutique firm. Students were particularly interested in the development opportunities available for early career professionals, and the exciting projects graduates were able to contribute to. Following this, the group headed towards Tower Bridge to visit ‘Big Four’ company PwC, where they took part in a case study exercise and heard from Newcastle University alumni about their career journeys since graduation. The contrast between the two consulting firms inspired the students to consider the diversity of roles within the sector.

Anitya Jain (MSc Business Analytics student) particularly enjoyed the evening event, commenting: “The networking event was a fantastic opportunity to connect with both alumni and professionals in the field, many of whom shared invaluable advice on career pathways and challenges. This event solidified the importance of building connections and learning directly from those who have navigated similar paths.”