BA Geography, University College London
Chartered Accountancy Graduate at Aviva
Tell us a funny or unusual fact about yourself?
I was a grand finalist in the 2011 UK national spelling bee. Our team broke the local and regional records along the way, but ended up finishing third in the grand final – so close to victory, but still very proud to finish with a medal!
What degree did you do at university and where did you do it? How did you decide to study that degree?
I graduated from University College London (UCL) with a BA (Hons) Geography with Upper Second-Class Honours (2:1) last year (2021). Since primary school, geography has always been the subject I found most interesting. Great teachers kept lessons fun, and the ability to relate study material to contemporary events meant that the content felt very engaging. In particular, by the time I reached A Levels, I wanted to explore human geography further and understand the world – topics such as migration, development and demography were particularly interesting to me. When it was time to apply for university courses, I knew geography was the best choice for me. Looking back, I’m very glad I chose it!
What did you enjoy most about studying geography?
Something I’ve always loved about studying geography is that it is highly interdisciplinary – the content often overlaps with other subject areas. In that way, by studying geography, I also learned about economics, chemistry and history, to name a few. I feel that exposure to other subjects means that geographers have a more holistic understanding of issues and strong critical thinking skills compared to other disciplines, and these are both very useful skills to have after university. As someone who loves to learn, the broad range of discussions you can get involved in meant that there was always something new to explore – no two days are ever the same in geography!
What job/role do you have now and what does it involve?
I work as a Chartered Accountancy graduate at Aviva. As it’s an apprenticeship, I work in the Finance Function, while also studying for my ACA qualification. It’s a tricky balance, but all the hard work will be worth it in the long run! My day role mainly involves financial reporting, which means that I help seniors to understand the performance and position of the business. I’m normally working with numbers, preparing documents and liaising with various departments. So far, I’ve had a great experience on the scheme, and I look forward to discovering more opportunities at Aviva!
What skills from your degree do you use in the role you have now?
I’d say the main skills that studying geography at university really built upon are organisation, problem-solving and critical thinking, all of which have been very important to me after graduation. Studying geography involved a lot of independent reading, and I wanted to make sure that I kept enough time to get through the material while also keeping time aside for fitness, friends, and other aspects of life. To do this, I had to learn to become better organised and efficient with my time. Creating a weekly schedule was vital for me to manage my time well, and it’s a tool I continue to use today. Now that I’m working and studying at the same time, organisation and time management have been very helpful.
In addition, forming my own opinions on key geographical debates helped me to develop my problem-solving and critical thinking skills a lot – both of which are highly sought-after by employers as it means that you can effectively deal with problems. My function does a lot of planning to prevent these, but issues will always arise somewhere, and it’s important to be able to handle them quickly so that you can meet deadlines on time. I’ve had my fair share of surprises come up in my role, and I’ve felt well-prepared to handle them with confidence because of my university experience.
Are there any challenges you faced along the way?
I found the first month of my role very difficult, as I had to face a lot of changes in one go. I’ve lived my whole life in or near London, and I commuted to university for all three years, so relocating to Norwich for work was challenging. A new living arrangement, in a new city, and joining a new work team all meant that it took me a while to settle in. Over time, I became more familiar with my new lifestyle and environment – I remember my colleagues pointing out to me how I came across as more settled after a few weeks, which was comforting to hear!
Where would you like to see geography going? What do you hope/anticipate for the future of geography?
I’d like to see geography become better at engaging with the public. There’s a lot of important work that geographers do, both in terms of research and policy engagement, and I think we need to become better at communicating this to raise our profile. At the moment, most of this work is relayed through academic pieces that aren’t easy to read for the general public. Improving this would mean that more people are aware of the important contributions that geographers make every day.
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of studying geosciences or geography?
Definitely do it! The breadth of topics on offer means that you have the freedom to explore the subjects that you find particularly interesting, and the use of contemporary case studies and ideas mean that you can connect class learning to the real world easily. Looking back, studying geography helped me to develop a more holistic understanding in life, and I feel much more informed about key issues that I especially care about, such as climate change and international development. I’m very glad that I chose to study geography, it was honestly the best experience of my life!
I’m happy to answer questions, so get in touch via LinkedIn if you want to know more!