Tell us about your educational and/or career journey since you graduated from Brunel?
Upon my graduation from Brunel, I returned back to Nigeria and continued working with the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation. I was also able to successfully complete an executive program with Blavatnik School of Government - University of Oxford on public leadership. I have also participated in several national and international programmes aimed at addressing global development challenges where I was selected to participate in the World Bank Group Youth Summit in the USA for three consecutive years, the annual OECD Global Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum in France, and several other United Nations conferences.
I currently work as a Human Resource professional with years of experience in managing various human resource functions. My Brunel experience was a self-discovery journey that provided me with an avenue to learn and develop the greater part of me. It has widened my horizon and prepared me to be globally competitive and resourceful in dealing with contemporary complex situations.
What does a typical day at work involve for you?
My primary responsibility is to ensure the timely payment of staff entitlements, and to make sure all other statutory deductions schedules are made available for onward submission to appropriate relevant authorities. Also, I am involved in drafting and reviewing human resource policy documents. In addition, I also have the responsibility of coordinating and monitoring records of staff payroll variations on the electronic Human Resource Management System.
What’s been the highlight of your career journey so far?
It has been an amazing and remarkable journey as I have witnessed career progression with success recorded in the area of driving change and innovation in the conduct of human resource processes in my organisation.
How would you say your Brunel experience has helped you to get where you are today?
The experience gained in Brunel was top-notch. My academic experience in my postgraduate course has yielded further HR opportunities and exposure to becoming the HR professional I am today. Beyond my academics, the Brunel Business Life Professional Development Programme gave me an opportunity to develop my employability skills, which to a large extend has contributed to my approach to practical corporate world challenges.
Why did you choose to study at Brunel and why would you recommend Brunel to others?
I will say my coming to Brunel was a choice I made on my own while I was searching for a university to attend when I got the opportunity to travel to the UK for a postgraduate programme. I chose Brunel above other universities I received admission letters for in London and other parts of the UK (about seven). In the ranking I made, Brunel had all I wanted in terms of location, accreditation by authorities and the professional body of my profession in UK. I would recommend Brunel to others because what I got was above my initial expectation.
What is your best memory of studying here?
Memories of studying at Brunel is always mixed feelings of fun experiences and moments when one has to put in extra study in hours/nights before submission deadlines. The Brunel Business Life Programme in the evenings was always something I looked to attend and couldn’t afford to miss. The social interaction with other students and the volunteering roles, especially as a Brunel Buddy, were all remarkable experiences.
If you could give one piece of advice to current Brunel students, what would that be?
My advice to Brunel students is to always avoid procrastination and delays to start any coursework, assignment or preparation for an examination. An early start always gives room for correction, and coursework or assignment improvement before deadlines. It also gives room for further reading in terms of exam preparation. Learn to explore and participate in opportunities and programmes made available or even sponsored by Brunel for interested students - some of these certifications are globally recognised. Lastly, always utilise other avenues and sessions that are provided to guide and help students, such as ASK and the library amongst others.
What would be your top tip or key advice for new graduates as they begin their career journey after leaving Brunel?
As you graduate from Brunel, stay focused, be prayerful, aim high and always be professional in the way you conduct your affairs. It is important for one to know that in the corporate world there are opportunities to compete with others - you should always be confident, determined and ready to try every opportunity with the optimism that a success story is certain at the end of the line.
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