For achievers, problem solvers, and most of all, Change Makers

Executive MBA participant, Erhan Temurkan, explains why he chose to study an MBA at WBS and talks us through the range of career support available to students.  

I embarked on the Executive MBA at Warwick Business School (WBS) in the autumn of 2018, as I wanted to elevate my career to the next level. As someone with a heavily technical background, I looked to join a programme which would enable me to build my business acumen, so that I could better articulate my thoughts to the stakeholders I work with. To explain things in not only a technical format but to let them truly understand what the business drivers are, and how we can solve problems from a business perspective.

I chose to undertake the MBA at WBS as a result of the wide range of career support that is provided throughout the programme, and they have not disappointed so far! The career support in fact is offered from the first day of the programme, where during the induction you undertake an Insights Discovery profile of yourself, a framework for self-understanding and development. Importantly, this enabled me to have a better understanding of my strengths, weaknesses, and of myself as a leader, helping me to develop a clear strategy for interacting with others, in order to effectively respond to demands in the uncertain landscape we operate in today.

Without a doubt, after this session I knew that WBS would allow me to develop an action plan to help me grow both personally and professionally. Subsequently, throughout the programme, the career support remained consistent and extensive. The true test is now for me to take the skills gathered throughout my MBA and apply them in the wide range of industries, cultures and locations I operate in today and in the future.

Weekend workshops

The weekend workshops, where extra-curricular sessions are on offer for you to attend, have been a true highlight for me. Throughout these sessions, I have gained some invaluable insights into strategic approaches in several areas. The topics have ranged from developing high performing teams, presenting to the board, media interview skills, and change management to name a few. I personally found most sessions to be very detailed and collaborative, where students are encouraged to participate and truly embrace themselves in the learning experience. As a result, these sessions have allowed me to truly expand my knowledge as a leader and enabled me to take a holistic approach to solving challenges.

The Change Maker series

The Change Maker series put together by the WBS CareersPlus team enables students to hear from a wide range of industry speakers (some of which are Warwick MBA Alumni). The sessions on offer have been eye-opening and having discussions with the speakers and other attendees about how they have tackled issues that I have experienced myself has truly allowed me to identify the many transferable skills that I possess and could apply to other industries in the future.

The importance of networking

The importance of networking is something that isn’t underplayed at WBS. Guest speaker events at both the WBS campus in Coventry and WBS London, The Shard, provide the opportunity for attendees to network with other Executive MBA students, Full-time MBA students and even Alumni post-event. This enabled me to network effectively with other cohorts and hear from Alumni firsthand about how they have progressed through their career journey following completion of their MBA.

My final thoughts

As this blog post comes to a close, I would like to highlight the amazing, dedicated support that I have received throughout the programme. I have found the MBA to be a personable experience, where my career goals were truly understood. If you’re really inspired to create a better you, to see what you can achieve in your career, WBS is the place to be. It really is an environment for achievers, problem solvers and most of all for Change Makers!

Find out more about the Executive MBA