Adam Dobson

Why did you choose Kent?

I knew a couple of friends who were studying at Kent and they said it was really brilliant so I came to an Open Day and everyone was very helpful. It’s lovely, it’s quite a small campus but with a lot of people, so there’s always a lot going on. They got my accommodation sorted out very quickly and, of course, the Economics rankings at Kent are very good.

How is your course going?

Really well. I’m enjoying it. I’ve been able to take the modules I want to and it’s flexible – I’ve been able to change my course as I’ve gone along. I started on the three-year Economics degree course then, a couple of months into the second year, I decided to do the Year in Industry and managed to get a place with IBM at Canary Wharf, London, so I have changed my degree title.

How would you describe your lecturers?

They’re all so different. Some are very hands-on – they really try to get you involved in the lectures – and some encourage you to be a bit more independent with your work. Now that I’m doing a dissertation, I realise that each lecturer has a specialist area. You learn as you go who specialises in what so you can ask specific questions of the right people. I’ve never had any problems with any of them.

What do you think about the level of support in your studies?

It’s good. You get an academic adviser at the start and are encouraged to have regular meetings with them. My adviser was away at the start of this term and someone else stepped in quickly; I actually changed one of my modules because of their advice.

Which modules have you enjoyed the most, and why?

I’ve enjoyed the financial modules the most, because it’s something I’ve always wanted to go into, possibly trading and markets. I’ve always been better at the maths side of things; I enjoy the theory of maths because I find it relevant, it has some real-world application and you can see what’s happening on the stock markets. One of my other modules, Econometrics, feeds into this idea of different processes all related to financial matters, I feel it is starting to influence my work.

How did you find the Year in Industry? Where was this undertaken?

It was really good. I was very lucky to get a placement with IBM, I’ve never had an experience like it. I was put straight on to working with clients. Everyone was very supportive, even the client. I got a lot of exposure to high-level meetings and after my placement ended I was asked to be involved in negotiations with the client because they trusted me. I was working in commercial management, I had to oversee the whole contract, get data from the departments servicing the client and create a report for billing purposes.

Do you think it will help you in your studies and future career?

I had to do a presentation with the client and other high-level managers during my placement. It does push you out of your comfort zone but it’s worth it. I had a number of tasks to manage, so I had to prioritise and keep track of things. I struggled a bit to begin with but they gave me helpful advice and feedback during internal reviews. It’s helped me to be a lot more organised this year.

What kind of career do you want when you graduate?

Ideally, I want to go into financial markets and work with clients to build their money.

Any advice to somebody thinking of coming to Kent?

I’d say look at everything you can get involved in. I’ve been lucky enough to play sports for the University but there are a lot of societies to get involved in where you can branch out and diversify as a person. Get involved in something outside of your studies. If you come just to do a degree, I’ve no doubt you’ll get a great degree, but you’ll miss out on the whole university experience.