Danielle Davis

I definitely tried to get the full Edge Hill experience. In first year, I studied themes around project management, marketing, finance, and project management. I decided that I wanted to study abroad and was lucky enough to go to Paris and study at EDC Business School. This gave me the opportunity to see things in a new light and get an extra experience.

I was then focused on doing a sandwich placement. I knew there was so much that I’d learned at Uni that I wanted to put into real life skills, so I did a placement at BT in London and did partnership marketing, which allowed me to draw on a whole array of different themes and topics that I had learned from the marketing and international trade modules.

I then started third year where I studied modules like strategic human resource management. I think that was one of my favourite modules overall. It’s particularly useful to know when working with people every day. Strategic human resource management provides you with a knowledge of why some colleagues might act in a certain way, why the business does things a certain way, why and how they motivate their employees, the importance of attracting early talent, and knowing why you may not be feeling fulfilled and your job.

I’m currently on a Civil Service Property Fast Stream with the Ministry of Justice in London. I manage around 15-20 properties, liaising and building relationships with staff and suppliers to ensure that building work and safety standards are always met. Each year I will move up a level on the graduate scheme programme. I also get involved with diversity and inclusion initiatives which relates very closely to the topics and themes I studied around human and resources.

My advice would be to get involved in as much as you can. Create contacts and build a support network to help get yourself noticed. There are so many opportunities at Edge Hill. Studying abroad, a placement year, internships and all the support from tutors and staff. You have support to find the opportunities you want to pursue. When it comes to the open days and early on in first year, look at the extra quick extracurricular activities that are available, because it’s worth thinking about these as early as possible to avoid missing out.