Mohammed Kali can't wait for his next challenge - starting a graduate role with one of the Big Four accounting firms.
The Accounting and Finance student feels "exhilarated" to have landed the post at Ernst & Young before graduating from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) this summer.
"It was a dream come true after a long recruitment process that involved six stages," said Mohammed, who starts in Birmingham in September.
"I'm excited about the prospect of becoming a chartered accountant in the future."
Born in Malawi, Mohammed moved to the UK four years ago to start his degree.
"As an international student, DMU offered great support to settle in to the UK," he said. "It had great employment prospects and I wanted to make the most of #DMUglobal travel opportunities.
"In addition, Leicester is a vibrant and multicultural city, which offers a great student life."
Mohammed chose his course because of the "interesting modules that allow you to gain theoretical knowledge relevant to accounting professions". The number of exemptions from professional body exams also impressed him.
The 22-year-old feels DMU has helped prepare him for his career in a number of ways.
"I have taken part in the Future Talent programme, an advanced Microsoft Excel class and Bloomberg training," he said.
"In addition, I am a student ambassador, which has allowed me to improve my communication skills and increase my confidence."
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However, his greatest experience has been a sandwich year with Saffery Champness, a leading accountancy practice, in London.
"It gave me the opportunity to meet new people, learn new skills, adapt to working life and apply the theoretical knowledge learnt at university to practice," said Mohammed, who received "great support" from the DMU placement team to land the role.
"I worked within the outsourcing department, also known as the Business Services Group, for a variety of clients across several sectors including film, music, sports and charities.
"My role as placement student was to complete the VAT, management accounts and payment runs.
"The most challenging aspect was to work on multiple clients during the day. This helped me improve my time management and organisational skills.
"I would definitely recommend undertaking a placement… the process will help you when applying for graduate positions during your final year."
On the extracurricular front, Mohammed has travelled with #DMUglobal to Paris and, most recently, Hong Kong, where he volunteered at the GREAT Festival of Innovation, hosted by the Department for International Trade.
"My #DMUglobal trips have been an excellent opportunity to see how metropolitan cities around the world operate and gain an insight into different cultures and traditions," he added.
"I look forward to going on another trip as an alumnus."
Posted on Monday 4 June 2018