After a year on Aston Business School’s triple-accredited full-time MBA program in the UK, the class of 2017 have moved on. Now, they’re part of the university’s 80,000-plus global alumni network.
Around 90% of them will land new jobs within six months of graduation. 90% of them are internationals. 30% are women.
BusinessBecause caught up with three graduating MBA students from Aston Business School – Temitope Adeola, Lishini Karunatillaka and Rosemary Pattem – to find out more about their future career ambitions.
Temitope Adeola
Temitope worked for five years in HR for leading banks in Lagos before deciding to return to her undergraduate school and pursue a full-time MBA at Aston. Now, she wants to change working cultures and promote intrapreneurship within organizations in her native Nigeria.
On choosing Aston… I knew that I required a master’s degree from a reputable organization to help me stand out in my career. My research indicated that Aston University would provide me with the edge that I required.
Aston is recognized as one of UK’s top schools with triple accreditation and is well known for its practical teaching style and the diversity of Students that attend the school. The fact that it’s based in Birmingham, one of the best cities to live in the UK, makes the school even more appealing.
On the Aston MBA experience… The Aston MBA teaches you to work as a team with people who have different orientations, past experiences, cultures, and ways of thinking. This is an excellent managerial tool which will be useful for managing intercultural work teams.
The MBA also provides you with a great network of people who you will find useful throughout your life. A few of my classmates and I have started looking at creating business ideas and the possibility of starting a business together.
On the future… After the MBA, I intend to work within the HR department of a large organization in Nigeria. I’m interested in the development of intrapreneurial attitudes within organizations and would like an opportunity to put this into practice.
Lishini Karunatillaka
Lishini was an assistant brand manager at Unilever before she chose to bolster her business knowledge with an MBA at Aston. She worked on a business plan for a new Sri Lanka-based startup during her MBA. One day, she hopes to take the leap and launch her own business.
On choosing Aston… I felt studying an MBA would help me tackle emerging business challenges by applying the newest management techniques. Aston is a triple-accredited institution with a diverse community of business professionals.
On the Aston MBA experience… The Aston MBA helped me to gain the academic knowledge and professional development in my journey to become a successful entrepreneur. The practical experience through participating in business simulations and developing our very own business plan helped me to think like a business leader, understand complex business issues, and implement strategic decisions.
Furthermore, the additional opportunities given to us on the course helped improve my skills and knowledge on the topic of digital marketing. I enrolled in the Google Digital Garage and entered the Google Online Marketing Challenge with my MBA peers.
On the future… I am keen to obtain a senior manager role in leading organization in the next two years, either in innovation management or strategic planning. As a marketer, I have received potential employment opportunities from not only the consumer goods industry but various other sectors.
My long-term goal is to start my own business in Sri Lanka. I am currently working closely with my project supervisor and mentor on the MBA to develop a suitable business model. I believe that, with an MBA from Aston, I will be well-equipped to excel in my career and become a leading businesswoman in the future.
Rosemary Pattem
Rosemary worked in marketing in India before moving to the UK for the Aston MBA. She consulted for Tata Consultancy Services as part of her MBA. She’s now looking to kick-start her marketing career and make a social impact.
On choosing Aston… I was looking to upgrade myself and gain a holistic perspective of business. Aston’s program design and the electives offering was exactly what I was looking for. The school is ranked among the best in the UK with triple accreditation. Plus, Birmingham is a wonderful city and Aston’s campus is surrounded with everything just a walking distance away.
On the Aston MBA experience… It’s definitely been a life-changing experience. Working in multicultural teams has broadened my perspective and made me a better team player. The program was designed for me to develop the skillset needed for real world challenges. Today, I am a far better version of myself.
On the future… Marketing is something I have always been passionate about and will continue to pursue it, but in a different industry. I’m looking at growing and reaching senior level at a multinational company.
Long-term, I’m hoping to develop a strong plan to give every individual an opportunity for education in India. The MBA has equipped me with the knowledge to bring about this positive change. In fact, a lot of opportunities have opened up now which previously seemed impossible to achieve.
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