Graduate's Profile
Cahir
Modern Languages and Marketing Studies (1995-9), previously of Limavady Grammar School, Northern Ireland.
1. Why did you choose your programme in the School of Languages?
I chose Salford for a number of reasons:
- Firstly the course itself, it seemed to have the right balance (50/50) between Languages and Marketing and I was unable to find any other university in the UK with this balance.
- Secondly, I liked the idea of the year abroad. I was aware that Salford had excellent contacts with industry, universities and schools overseas and they would be able to place me in a reputable company or university overseas.
- Thirdly, the location. I knew Manchester was a very hip and cool city and I wanted to study somewhere where I could enjoy the social aspects of university life. I had always lived in a small rural town in Ireland and I wanted to be in the heart of a fast, exciting city - full of music, clubs, bars galleries and theatres. Salford's closeness to Manchester city centre made it the perfect choice.
2. What did you like about the programme you followed in the School of Languages?
- i. The year abroad was excellent, it opened my mind to different cultures and made me a more confident person. It was a scary prospect of packing up and leaving Salford for a year but its proved to be an incredible experience and I look back on it with very fond memories.
- ii. The intimacy of the School of Languages was definitely something that made the 4 years at Salford so pleasant. The friendly staff, the closeness with other students and the warm family like atmosphere that existed made studying there very enjoyable.
- iii. The practical side of the course was great. In particular in our final year, we had a live marketing project where we had to analyse the internal problems of a real company. This was a very exciting task and a learning experience I will never forget. The feedback from the company at the end of the project was very positive and I can remember feeling very proud of the work myself and my classmates had undertaken.
3. What would you particularly recommend to others about the School of Languages?
I would recommend the friendliness and the quality of the teaching staff at the School of Languages. Although the work was hard at times, it was always enjoyable and there was always someone you could talk to if you needed clarification or help.
4. What have you been doing since you graduated from the School of Languages?
I graduated from Salford in 1999 and I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in marketing but in a public sector role.
A couple of months after graduation I was offered a job as Alumni Co-ordinator at the Kent Institute of Art and Design in Maidstone, Kent. In this role I was responsible for co-ordinating relations between the Institute and its graduates. I was responsible for organising graduate reunions and promoting famous and successful graduates who had studied at the Institute. I co-ordinated the Alumni magazine and in 2002 the magazine was runner up at the prestigious HEIST education Marketing Awards. The job also gave me the opportunity to travel to Taiwan and Norway for graduate reunions that I organised. The travelling part of this job heightened my interest in International Student Recruitment and in 2001 I was offered a job at The University of Kent as International Marketing Officer.
At the University of Kent I was responsible for designing and implementing marketing recruitment strategies for international students throughout the world. This exciting yet demanding job gave me the opportunity to travel and talk to students about study opportunities in the UK. I regularly travelled to India, Nigeria, Russia, Mexico, Uganda, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar amongst other countries. The job made me realise that I wanted to live overseas and use my languages more. In August 2004 I applied for a job at The British Embassy in Mexico City and was offered the post of "Trade and Investment Research Officer".
My job at the British Embassy basically involves working with UK companies who are interested in exploring Mexico as a potential market for their products or services. I help organise exhibitions and programmes for British companies visiting Mexico and I write market reports on various sectors including textiles, water and chemicals. Working at the Embassy is extremely exciting and Mexico City (the second largest city is the world) is an incredibly vibrant, colourful and crazy city to live in. I am speaking Spanish on a daily basis which I love and I am trying to get to grips with Mexican slang which at times seems like a completely different language!
5. How useful have your studies at the School of Languages been in following this path?
I feel that studying at Salford gave me an excellent grounding for where I am today. The mix of marketing and modern languages on the course gave me access to some excellent jobs and allowed me to use my marketing and language skills throughout the world. Salford developed me personally as well as academically and I graduated a more confident and enquiring individual. The year abroad made me more tolerant of others and initiated my love for travel.
I met my wife Melissa (Sociology and Cultural Studies 1998) at Salford and meeting her changed my life, we now live happily together in Mexico City and we both feel that we would not be here today if we hadn't chosen to study at Salford.