UCLan programme helps graduate grow personally and professionally
A determined international student from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), who admitted to suffering from stage fright in the early periods of his course, has now landed a sought-after role at one of the world’s largest international defence, aerospace and security organisations.
Benjamin Suretkar, 26, from Tirupati, India, has graduated from UCLan’s Master of Business Administration with Professional Placement (MBA) programme and has taken up a service reporting developer role at BAE Systems.
It’s a major achievement for the hard-working scholar who by his own admission was wracked with nerves during the early stages of his course if asked to present in front of his fellow students.
“The way students are assessed in England differs greatly to India,” explained Benjamin. “I was used to classroom exams whereas at UCLan in addition to traditional exams there is a greater emphasis on assignments, group projects and, of course, presentations.
"Studying here has opened me up to all sorts of new experiences. I’ve met fellow students from across the globe, exposing me to new viewpoints and cultural differences which have changed my opinions on many issues"
— MBA graduate Benjamin Suretkar
“It took me a little time to adapt and I admit to having a bit of stage fright at first. However, with lots of practice and support from my tutors and fellow students I completely overcame this fear.”
Benjamin feels the UCLan experience has been a great one for him both at a professional and personal level. “Studying here has opened me up to all sorts of new experiences. I’ve met fellow students from across the globe, exposing me to new viewpoints and cultural differences which have changed my opinions on many issues. I have learnt how to lead an independent life away from home and while living expenses are always the biggest hurdle for international students, the cost of living in Preston is lot more manageable than London.
“I have learnt from world-class professors, all experts in their fields, who explained academic theory with practical examples and which really helped me to excel in my studies.
“My advice to anyone following in my footsteps is to never give up. Invest your time wisely, work hard and good things will happen. For myself, I just want to do my best for BAE Systems and repay the faith they have shown in me. The future looks bright and I’m really looking forward to the next stage of my career and settling into life in the UK.”