August 30, 2019, by Leah Sharpe

Making the Most of My Time At University

By Tomi Popoola, BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering graduate

I started at the University of Nottingham as an engineering foundation student. This was honestly one of the best decisions I made. It gave me a chance to dabble in most forms of engineering and pick what was right for me. By the end of the year, I decided to study electrical and electronic engineering.

Here are four pieces of advice to students studying at Nottingham:

1. Look into the Nottingham Advantage Award

The Nottingham Advantage Award was brilliant for me, as I completed the ‘Employability for Engineers’ module. This module prepared me for interviews, assessment centres, and how to properly construct a winning CV. We got one-to-one sessions and took part in mock simulated interviews as engineers, to get a taste of the real world. In addition, I could schedule private reviews with the Careers team to help with upcoming interviews I had in the pipeline.

2. Access the Careers and Employability Service

My advice to anyone starting at Nottingham, engineering or otherwise, is to make use of all the resources available to you. They are there for a reason. Attend the careers fairs as you may just land the internship or job of your dreams just from showing up! There are several resources made available by the Careers and Employability Service that can help you, and the team are always willing to assist.

3. Look out for scholarships

During my foundation year I was awarded a British Petroleum (BP) scholarship of £1000, presented to the top 20 students. We were made aware of this award at the start of the year, and it’s definitely worth looking into it if you’re considering this program. BP also give out awards throughout the duration of the degree. I was lucky enough to receive another BP scholarship award in my second year for being one of the top students in the faculty. The Faculty of Engineering have a range of University based scholarships and industry-sponsored scholarships. These can go a long way in the employment pool, so it’s worth checking your eligibility.

4. Make the most of extra-curricula opportunities

I made the most of my time at Nottingham by joining societies, being on committees, becoming a student ambassador, and a student mentor. This may sound like a lot but it’s great fun and felt just like everyday student life, so not at all like I’d taken on too much. It was through these activities I met and made lifelong friends.

After graduating, I started work as an SAP Database and Technology Consultant. A year after that, I moved on to Amazon as an AWS Professional Services Consultant. My time at Nottingham prepared me for the technicality of both jobs and to be able to learn on the job. The amazing staff were always willing to help me during the lead up to graduation and beyond. Nottingham helped shape me and I will forever be grateful for that.

If you’d like to find out more about the Nottingham Advantage Award, and the career support available to you as a University of Nottingham student, visit our website.

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