How Salford university can shape your career

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Should I go to university? A question I asked myself numerous times throughout my life.

The first time I was 18 and the answer was easy, no! I was going to get a great job and make loads of money!

I did get a job, well in fact I got a few none of them made me loads of money though. Good enough though to roll with which I did for a good while in my 20’s.

My second ‘should I go to university? was about 10 years later when I was about to have my first child, I thought having a baby was going to destabilise my career and prospects, so I decided to do a distant learning university degree with the Open University for 3 years, I thought that would keep me sane and free from CBeebies episodes but I was wrong CBeebies was soo addictive 😊

The third ‘should I go to university? Was the easiest yes, I’ve ever made. I knew I wanted to go to university for about 4 years, this time my reason was I wanted to explore my innovative ideas that were screaming inside me to get out. I wanted to upskill myself in areas that I knew were not complete and I thought university was the right place.

Going to university this time included more blockers than the last 2 choices. Work, family, children, financial commitments.

Thank God we had a pandemic! (Obviously not for the people we lost but for the things we gained)

I looked at various innovation degree’s across, Manchester University and Salford but one of them kept jumping out at me.

MSc Digital business at Salford University had the pull, the mix of the modules were a perfect fit for my idea. It went Project Management, Digital Transformation, Digital business and Entrepreneurship, then lastly Search Social Media Marketing. Consequently, the reason I am now more active on social media 😊

These might seem like standard university courses to most people but to me this was a perfect foundation for me to kick start my business ideas. I’d had innovative ideas growing in my mind for years adding them to the notes section in my phone. God knows I could have opened an ideas factory.

I never actually acted on them or shared them with anyone, not even my close family. I feared being laughed at or ridiculed in some way. Crazy that thought now!!

When I got to university I did find that because I had experience in the working world, a lot of what I was taught didn’t really happen in the real world – I mean that’s another blog in itself but anyway most of the tutors were industry experts so it wasn’t like they didn’t know what they were talking about, it was more if only businesses actually implemented the methodology and skills that were taught in universities then maybe businesses would be more effective in delivering their projects and digital strategies.

The advantages of being taught by experts gives you a feeling of awe like you have been let into a conference that was not meant for you and you’re getting all the inside information that nobody else knows. Thankfully this support is lifelong with Salford university once you graduate you become part of the alumni community with access to exclusive benefits and services throughout your life.

Another great thing about Salford university was they have an Launch incubator program that provides students and graduates with valuable skills to help grow and develop start-up businesses. Perfect for me as that is what I wanted. All I had to do now was tell people my idea!

So, I tested it out I told my friends and family first and they didn’t laugh, then I tried my module leader, then I talked to my fellow students, and tutors and guess what not one person laughed in fact every person, and I mean every person, unless they were hiding it well, was so supportive. Now I can’t stop talking about what I want to do. I’ve even changed my LinkedIn status to budding Entrepreneur which actually made me laugh and does every time I view it, but now I actually don’t care if people laugh because I’m following my dreams and that is no joke!

The fellow students I have met at uni are people who have inspired me in ways they will never know, young and mature people who have travelled halfway across the globe to live in a country they have never been to before and don’t know anyone, people who have left their families behind to make a career for themselves, Mancunians who have made a good decision to go to university now and will have more time and choices because of it.

Young people who have no experience to mature people who have a breadth of experience, tutors, and student support people who will go above and beyond to help inspire, share, or connect people in the right direction.

One thing I will say is university is for people who are brave enough to find out if it is for them or not, if you never go you will never know so I will say take the plunge if it works great, and if it doesn’t great but at least you were brave enough to find out.

University to me is about the experience and support I have been given. The Launch incubator programme has connected me to organisations to help grow my business, the GC business growth hub, SantanderX, careers and enterprise these are all networks that without Salford university I would not know, so for that I thank all of them people who I have met at my time throughout university. I am sure many will be part of my journey further down the line but for now if you have an idea, please, please tell someone, share it, and talk about it then you can put that first step into action no matter how many blockers stand in your way.

“Someone once told me the definition of hell; on your last day on earth, the person you could have become will meet the person you became.” ― Anonymous.

Don’t let that be you, be who you want to be, follow your heart’s desire!!