Sponsored content: created in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast.
When Jesselyn Angky started her degree in actuarial science and risk management at Queen’s Business School (QBS) at Queen’s University Belfast, she found the assistance offered by teaching and student support services invaluable. She had completed a year of study in her home country of Indonesia through an international foundation course at the university, facilitated by INTO. “I had an international student advisor who helped me get the most out of university life and plan my career, so I gained a lot of insight,” she says. “The lecturers were supportive and offered one-to-one advice if you had any questions.”
Angky now works as a trainee modelling actuary at Utmost Group, a business insurance company in Dublin. She says the practical skills and exposure she gained at QBS have enabled her to get up to speed quickly in her job. During her time at QBS, she was part of the Queen’s Student Managed Fund, which allows students to invest money on the university’s behalf, progressing from an analyst to sector head in two years. She also participated in an investment banking simulation where she placed second among 93 participants and later attracted sponsorship for a boot camp in an investment bank.
While she was a student, she assisted QBS in securing reaccreditation through the European Foundation for Management Development Quality Improvement System, an international accreditation for business schools.
“QBS is very well connected to employers in many sectors, who sponsor programmes such as the banking simulation,” she says. “A lot of things I tried during my time in the investment society related to my final year, such as putting together equity research reports.” In her third year, Angky did an 11-month work placement with Deloitte in Belfast. During this time, Angky’s tutors checked in with her and her placement manager to ensure that she got the most out of her time at the consulting and accounting firm. She was also required to give a presentation on her achievements at the end of her placement.
“The BSc actuarial science and risk management course at QBS was very closely aligned to the career I wanted,” says Angky. “With the modules I learned, I would be able to advance my career more quickly.” It can take as long as seven years to complete the required qualifications to become an actuary. But Angky has completed enough exemptions on her course to achieve this in four years. “It helps that our lecturers are themselves actuaries with practical knowledge based on experience,” she says.
To prepare students for employment, QBS runs a number of placement and graduate fairs where they can discover the field they would like to work in or gain tips on the job application process. Even though Angky is enjoying her new job in Dublin, she says Belfast feels like home. The most satisfying aspect of her role is putting into practice the skills she learnt during her course. “The QBS course has allowed me gain to experience that is highly transferable,” she says.
Comments