Skills I've gained with IBM will help me for life, says DMU business and finance student


A Business Management and Finance student says her placement with global leader IBM is helping her gain skills that will benefit her for her final year at university and beyond. 

De Montfort University Leicester's (DMU) Hannah Tipping is relishing having her abilities tested for her post within the company's Global Technology Services department in London. 

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She went through a challenging selection process to clinch the role, but the effort was worth it, as Hannah has made valuable industry contacts and can add real-world experience to her CV. 

Hannah - whose title is Global Technology Services UK and Ireland Infrastructure Services Sales Management Support - said: "During my first week I had a handover with the previous intern.   

"When it came to him leaving I was scared and doubted my own abilities. However, once left to my own devices I realised I could do it and learnt a lot through completing my weekly tasks. 

"One of the most challenging things was when the reporting systems broke down and I had to rewrite one of our macros. After a little trial and error I was able to recreate the file with minimal disruption to the rest of the business.   

"I was extremely proud of myself and received formal thanks." 

To secure her placement, Hannah completed a test, took part in group activities and her application was entered into a matching pool, where managers pick candidates and invite them for interviews.   

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"I believe this is a great process, as it gives students the opportunity to find a role that will really suit them," said Hannah. 

"There is nothing like real, on-the-job experience to prepare you for the working world. 

"A work placement offers a great opportunity for exposure and networking with various professionals and these relationships could prove critical when applying for jobs. 

"I feel my placement has helped me grow into a young professional rather than just a student and has helped me gain some skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my life." 

Hannah plans to take a year out after graduating in summer 2017, before hopefully returning to IBM, with a long-term goal of starting her own business. 

Meanwhile, the 21-year-old will be coming back to Leicester for her final year, having originally decided to study at DMU because of its reputation for business courses as well as the facilities available. 

She said: "The experience of the lecturers is excellent, as they have backgrounds from within the field they now teach, which means they can share real-life examples and corporate insights. 

"There are so many resources available to students to help them develop, such as the Business and Law Placement Unit, we just need to use them!" 

It's not just her academic success Hannah is proud of. She said: "Being captain of the DMU Netball club third team, co-ordinated by De Montfort Students' Union, during the 2014/15 season was a huge achievement. It's amazing how much a sport and team come to mean to you." 

Posted on Monday 2 May 2016

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