I studied Psychology at Middlesex University with little to no knowledge of what I wanted to do after I graduated. I knew I wanted to do something within the Psychology field but it always seemed like whenever I asked someone who had done a Masters or someone who was already in the industry, I got the same response every time “it’s a lengthy process and there’s a lot of work to do” or “there’s a lot of research and a lot of competition, are you sure you will be able to handle it”.
Although we like to think that other people’s opinions don’t always affect us, sometimes you need to put your hands up and say “well, actually yes that did affect me”. I figured, if I could go into a job which taught me all the different skills that I need to manoeuvre around such a dynamic field like Psychology, I could easily fit the mould. I decided to take a 180 degree turn and ended up volunteering for a year at a school in a disadvantaged area. It was a learning development programme which taught me everything from safeguarding children to project management. It was a long year, but I learnt so much during this time and built some good friendships.
However, it turned out that teaching was not for me, not only because it was extremely stressful but also because it occurred to me that whilst I wanted to ‘help people’, I wanted to do it at a larger scale. The only issue was that I didn’t know what job existed for me to do that.
Whilst volunteering, many opportunities came up including the Eagles programme. The Eagles programme is a social mobility programme seeking talented people interested in a career in the City. Graduates spend 3 weeks training ahead of their 6-month placement. It is a great way to gain insight, skills and experience working with some of London’s leading companies.
I did not think to apply as I never thought I would get it. But at last, my best friend said if you apply and don’t get in, at least you have tried, but if you do get in, then it’s going to be extremely good for you and your development. I applied at the last minute. And to my surprise, got in to Bupa.
The past couple of months have been a huge learning experience. To me, it was extremely important to be confident in such a big corporate company, to understand how a business works but also, get used to the admin tasks that may be trivial, but an important skill to have.
I have learnt to ask any question on my mind no matter how stupid it may sound. Something that sets Bupa apart from any other corporate company, is their emphasis on mental health & wellbeing and the positive atmosphere with my team especially. This is a vital part of the business; to ensure that the employees are happy where they work. This has helped me immensely. I hope to learn more in the next few months and to be more involved as I’m well integrated with the wider Corporate Affairs team.
