Students step into industry: London visit to opens doors to future careers as alumni share insights
Newcastle University Business School students took their career ambitions to London, exploring businesses in marketing, finance, and market research while networking with alumni working across the capital.
24 April 2025
As Spring Break approached, 51 Newcastle University students from the Business School and School of Arts and Cultures embarked on an exclusive trip to the city of London. They explored career paths, built industry connections and gained real-world insights into what it is like to work in one of the world’s leading global business hubs. The students visited several industry-leading employers, including BNY, Dentsu and Ipsos.
Ipsos and AlphaSights
Students started their day by visiting Ipsos, a leading market research agency. They learned more about the importance of market research in solving business challenges. The visit also included a tour of their office and a panel discussion where students had an opportunity to hear from current employees, including Newcastle University Business School alumni.
Alice Kenny from Ipsos UK said: “We were delighted to welcome Newcastle University Business School students to our London office. Their curiosity and thoughtful questions during the Newcastle alumni panel were impressive. We look forward to participating in the treks initiative next year and further strengthening our partnership with Newcastle University Business School.”
In the afternoon, students visited AlphaSights, the global leader in knowledge on-demand. After a tour of the office, students were inspired by seeing the fast-paced and dynamic consulting environment and hearing about their unique approach to consulting. To conclude their visit, students completed an exercise focused on developing their skills in networking by creating an elevator pitch and using LinkedIn.
BNY and AmplifyME
Students interested in finance careers visited BNY’s London office to meet with senior speakers, recruitment colleagues and recent graduates currently completing BNY’s graduate scheme. Students discovered what it is like to work for BNY, how the company operates and career opportunities there.
Following this inspiring morning and a well-deserved lunch, students visited AmplifyME, a leading global provider of finance simulations in markets, banking and technology.
After a short insightful introduction, they had an opportunity to take a trading simulation to test their capabilities. The day concluded with a panel discussion featuring industry professionals and alumni who spoke about their careers in finance.
Dentsu
Students interested in careers in marketing and media had a chance to visit Dentsu, a major global advertising agency network with employers from 40 diverse nationalities worldwide. In addition to a tour of the offices, students learned more about the career progressions of various staff and participated in a dive into paid search advertising strategy.
Following the morning at Dentsu, students attended a panel featuring four industry professionals from the UK. During the panel, students gained an insight into how to stand out during the application process, current trends in recruitment and the marketing industry, networking strategies, entrepreneurship and the importance of workplace culture for the career planning process.
Reflecting on the day, Jo Craggs, Career Consultant at Newcastle University Business School said: “Our Business School treks give students direct access to industry professionals, offering insights into current trends, recruitment tips, and real-world work environments. These experiences not only support career planning and networking but also boost students’ confidence as they engage with leaders in their chosen fields.”
Networking
Having gained insights into key industries, the students had the opportunity to connect with alumni at our evening networking event at Black Sheep Coffee at Regent's Place.
During the event, our students were able to connect with over 35 Newcastle University graduates and gain further insights into the world of work, life in London and navigating the early stages of your career. Speaking of the event, Tori Robinson (MSc Sustainability Management student) said: "It was a privilege to connect with industry professionals about the increasing integration of sustainability across sectors - an exciting time to be part of this space. I’m thankful for the opportunity to learn from mentors and role models who offer valuable insights as I navigate my own path. Expanding my network and continuously refining my skills has been an essential part of this journey."
Reflecting on the evening, Rebecca Stobbs (Alumni Relations Manager at Newcastle University Business School) noted: “The warmth and encouragement our alumni community showed to our students, is the reason I will be forever grateful to our alumni community. For many of our students, it was their first time visiting the capital, or entering the corporate workplace, so the opportunity for them to connect with our graduates and discover further insight was of great benefit and made a true difference.”