Tell us a bit about yourself, your background, and the course you are studying.

My name is Afoma Ukah and I am from Nigeria. My undergraduate degree was in BSc Economics & Finance and I am currently studying MSc Management of Information Systems & Digital Innovation at the Warwick Business School. Prior to my master’s degree, I worked as an Economic and Industry analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Lagos, Nigeria.

What would you say are the key things that sets WBS apart?

WBS drew me in initially because of its reputation as a business school and the wide range of courses it offers. WBS has a fantastic careers team exclusively available to WBS students that provides lots of resources such as CV and cover letter reviews, as well as groups to assist with evaluation case studies. Since joining WBS, I have attended many employee events and industry leader talks where I have learned more about potential career paths and gained a better understanding of how those industries work.

I was also attracted to WBS because of the structure of my course; as someone who comes from a non-technical background, I wanted to study a postgraduate course that could provide me with a clear foundation of knowledge. Another feature that distinguishes WBS from other schools is the choice between Business in Practice (BIP) and the dissertation. One of the reasons I chose WBS for my postgraduate degree is because the BIP route provides students with realistic business skills through a simulation that helps them to experience what it is like to run and manage a business.

What is the best thing about your course so far?

I have thoroughly enjoyed my course at WBS, and I cannot recommend it enough. A few things I have enjoyed about my course are the skills I have developed and the networking and career opportunities. Throughout my course I have participated in a lot of group work which has helped build my teamwork, communication and leadership skills, which are all very important skills to develop for my future career. In addition, the CareersPlus team hosted a lot of career and networking opportunities that were specific to my course, allowing me to gain further insight into the several career paths that can be achieved by studying my course. The lecturers are a very important part of my course, they are very determined to give us the best experience and go above and beyond to deliver intellectually stimulating lectures.

What is your favourite module?

My favourite module so far has been Digital Business Strategy. The module allowed me to come up with creative ideas and to think outside the box. I had the opportunity to learn how digital technologies affect traditional business models and how I can leverage my knowledge of how technologies work to enhance business prospects. The module covered several digital transformation strategies and the ways in which firms can scale up by leveraging digital technology in infrastructures and platforms, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT). The module taught me about platforms and how platform ecosystems work through network effects and various pull strategies to attract customers.  I was also able to analyse the role of digital technologies in global firms like Netflix, Amazon, AirBnB which has helped me develop my critical analysis skills.

What sort of support have you received so far from the CareersPlus team?

The CareersPlus team has been extremely helpful with my job applications. When I first arrived at WBS I was able to send my CV and cover letter samples to them to review and provide feedback on how I could improve my application profile. The CareersPlus team also hosted a few interview preparation sessions specifically for my course, where I was able to learn more about how to present and communicate myself efficiently in interviews. Applying the feedback from the CV review and interview sessions has helped me secure several interviews with firms and has allowed me to clearly express my interests and skillsets. I have also found the mock assessment centres really useful and I can’t wait to showcase what I have learned.

What are your tips for getting the most out of an MSc for those starting in September?

My top tip for students starting an MSc is to make sure you conduct your research. Studying an MSc course can be very intense so it is important that you have a clear understanding of the course. I would also recommend that you are very open-minded, as studying at WBS exposes you to a lot of opportunities which you should try and take full advantage of as it will really help boost your employability and enable you to learn more about yourself.