2020 graduate, Phoebe Allan, bid farewell to the University of Stirling with a BA (Hons) in Business Studies & Marketing firmly in hand.
Phoebe, originally from Forres in Scotland, took the time to catch up with our Advancement Team to discuss her time studying at Stirling. She also updated us on her career and plans for the future
Studying at Stirling
“My time at Stirling was made even better by the people I met. A memorable moment would be meeting my flatmates as I moved in on my first day to Beech Court. They became great friends throughout my entire university experience and remain to be after graduation.
“I found that the tutors and lecturers showed a genuine interest in the subjects they taught. It was really valuable to be able to learn from their expertise and knowledge. My time at Stirling definitely taught me how to balance study, work, and life as well as resilience through exam seasons.
“Taking part in the Stirling Internship Programme led me to work with an award-winning start-up company: Sonas-Behavioural Science. This company developed a software product to measure and improve workplace wellbeing. I worked as a Marketing and Business Development Assistant. However, due to the nature of a start-up company, I was regularly involved in various entrepreneurial tasks.
“This was one of my proudest achievements because it gave me first-hand experience of the workplace and countless opportunities to expand my skills. I also worked in multiple Scottish entrepreneur accelerator hubs, which provided learning and networking opportunities with business mentors and entrepreneurs.
“My achievements at Stirling also include being asked to speak at events including ‘One Step Ahead’. Receiving award nominations such as ‘Santander Universities Impact Awards’ and ‘STAR Intern of the year’ are further proud moments.
“There are countless other highlights though! I was regularly involved in media content creation. I also helped create a video pitch that made it to the semi-final of the ‘Converge Challenge’. This was also entered into ‘Scottish Edge’. My responsibilities extended to assisting with events, one of which featured in the Edinburgh Architecture Fringe in 2019. It just goes to show the many brilliant opportunities available at Stirling!”.
Current Career
“Since graduating, I have been able to begin my career with NatWest Group as part of their Internal Audit Graduate Scheme. I work within the Finance team and I am pursuing my Chartered Accountancy, ACA professional qualification. Leveraging off business knowledge gained at university, it’s been exciting to explore a new sector.
“I am now two years in to my three-year graduate programme with NatWest. In this time, I have completed 12 out of 15 ACA exams as well as integrating into my team and learning on the job. NatWest has afforded me many opportunities, including being part of a graduate-led council where I have been able to work alongside the early careers team and engage with incoming graduates”.
Words of Wisdom
“Don’t be afraid to get involved with networking opportunities. They may seem daunting, but they will give you the chance to meet a variety of people and boost your confidence. I found that through opportunities like these, I was able to learn about other people’s experiences and careers. As a student, this is really valuable; it gives you an insight into what careers are out there and how people got to where they are”.
