Eleri Turner always had an interest in business and after visiting an Open Day at Staffordshire University she knew that BSc (Hons) Business Management was the course for her.
The 23-year-old from Mold in North Wales said: “There was so many good things about my course. The lecturers just have such great passion for what they teach, and I think that's what really made the course just so amazing.
“There's so many opportunities studying business, especially at Staffordshire University because we have got all these amazing connections with Merlin, Bentley, there’s lots of different places that you can go to.
“Live briefs with actual companies was really vital for gaining knowledge of our industry as well.”
Eleri had the opportunity to do a placement year and worked at Airbus Defence and Space.
“My placement year really prepared me for the working world. It gave me 14 months of 9 to 5, Monday to Friday. I got to meet all of these different professionals in the field, so it really helped me understand how these people work, how the projects work, and it gave me that in-depth knowledge,” Eleri commented.
She credits this experience with helping to secure a graduate job with defence manufacturer Babcock International in project management.
“My placement year really, really helped my network and ultimately got me a job at the end. I also had another offer as well, so I did end up with a choice of graduate schemes
“I think having that knowledge already within the same industry did put me one step above all the other graduates who were going for the same roles.”
On her graduation day Eleri delivered a speech to hundreds of fellow graduates and guests at Kings Hall in Stoke reflecting on her Staffordshire University journey, and hopes it might inspire others to follow in her footsteps.
“It was really nerve wracking giving the speech, but when I took a minute to just take a breath and look at everyone, it was something else. It was amazing!
“I'd say to anyone thinking about doing business or coming to university, just do it. It was the best step I took. So take it from me, It was amazing.
“I think just coming to things like Open Days and seeing the vibe of the campus, seeing the student ambassadors, the lecturers, all the other students, it's a really, really good selling point for the university. So just take that step and go for it!”
Discover your future with Clearing at Staffordshire University. Call 0800 590 830 or get an online offer at https://www.staffs.ac.uk/clearing