Daniel Roch

I chose to study at Loughborough because the content of the course really grabbed my interest. From the minute I stepped foot on the campus I just saw myself being here and felt immediately at home. The course struck the perfect balance between traditional foundationally understanding, as well as combatting contemporary political discussions.

The support that Loughborough offers for students in regard to placement opportunities also factored into my decision. The support from staff and others academics makes a huge difference and really helped Loughborough to stand out from other universities.

I did politics at A-Level and just completely fell in love with the subject. As I was going through my GCSEs the news was dominated by the 2015 General Election and 2016 Brexit referendum. I became really invested in these events and enjoyed keeping up with the latest announcements and incidents throughout these campaigns. This fuelled my interest to gain a deeper understanding of the bedrock that our democracy was built upon, and also to look at why we, as a country, interact with other countries around the world in certain ways.

One thing I love about being a Loughborough student is the wide range of study spaces that you have available to you. Whether you work better in quiet and secluded areas, or in busier and more engaging spaces, there are a wide range of spaces within which you can work. This means that no matter your style, or whether you prefer to work individually or collectively, there are plenty of fantastic spaces in which you can do so.

With my course, I love about my course is the broad range of exciting and contemporary topics we study. Whilst maintain the traditional bedrock of politics and international relations, the modules on the course really get me to engage on multiple levels, and question pre-existing conceptions and assumptions I had about a specific topic. This is incredible beneficial to my personal development, and it has really helped me engage with and thrive in my course. This high level of engagement and interaction also makes these modules incredible enjoyable and fun to learn about.

I also enjoy the openness and availability of lecturers and tutors when you need help. They are so friendly and are happy to connect with you on both a personal and professional level. This is really beneficial when it comes to getting feedback and advice on your work, as you can interact with them freely and easily in order to make the most of their expertise, as well as improve the quality of your work.

I always envisaged doing a placement year because of the benefits brings to you both professionally and personally. Not only does a placement give you the opportunity to develop as an individual in a protected work environment, but it also helps you to refine key skills, such as communication and interpersonal skills, that are beneficial to in your final year of study. It is also a great opportunity to learn more about yourself and the roles you might be interested in post-University. Whilst placements can act as a yearlong interview, they can also tell you more about the roles and companies you both might enjoy, and might not enjoy, working in.

This is a great chance to prepare yourself for life after Loughborough and can help you identify graduate roles and opportunities that you know you will be more comfortable in and will be more enjoyable for you. It also played a key deciding factor in why I chose to attend Loughborough, as you get fantastic support in preparing applications, writing your CV, identifying good placement opportunities and preparing for assessment centres/interviews.

One of the highlights of my placement was taking the lead on an event that my team was overseeing. This was a real highlight for me, as I was able to oversee and execute a large-scale event with lots of different employees under my supervision and instruction. This was really beneficial for me as it showed the confidence that management had in my after only 6 months in the role, and also helped to develop key communication and confidence skills that were vital to ensuring the event ran smoothly.

As well as that, one of the highlights of my placement was building a strong relationship with our legal partners. This was fantastic as it enabled me to gain a better understanding of the workings of the UK Home Office and Government, as well as work with legal firms to assess the impact that government legislation had on large corporations. This was so beneficial as it helped me to develop key analytical skills, and also build trusted professional relationships and networks with a wide range of individual, many of whom I am still in contact with today.

My placement in industry helped with my future career goals, as it gave me a valuable insight into life inside a Big 4 Firm. I loved my year in industry, and it showed me that I really do thrive and perform well in a corporate environment. Now, as I am planning my future career goals and applying to graduate schemes, I can tailor my searches and application to similar companies and environments, as I know that I both enjoy and thrive in these situations.

My year in industry has also helped with future career goals, as they have offered me a graduate opportunity. Through this, it has helped me think about a potential future career here, which will allow me to personally and professional progress through working towards my professional qualification, which will open more and more doors and future career opportunities to me going forward.

100% go for it. It is an incredible opportunity to develop yourself on multiple levels, as well as gain some fantastic first-hand experience working in a sector of your interest. It also enables you to suss out what roles you might enjoy, and what you might not, so that when you come to life after Loughborough, you will have a better idea of the roles and companies you are likely to gain more enjoyment and benefit from working with.

Placements also offer you an incredible opportunity to grow your personal network, opening you up to a range of different opportunities later in life, as well as make some incredible friendships with colleagues

I am currently considering an offer to return to my placement company in order to take up a graduate role there in their tax department. It would see me embark on a 3-year programme, working towards my ACA professional qualification whilst handling clients on behalf of the company. I am also exploring other graduate opportunities in other companies across the UK in areas such as public relations, external affairs and policy advisor, as I am keen to enter the world of work following my graduation.