Grace Hunkin

• Year of study: Second year (in 2025/26)
• Length of course: Three years (four with work placement year)

I decided to study at the University of Northampton after attending an open day. The lecturer leading the subject session was incredibly passionate about the course and her role and spoke highly of the extracurricular opportunities for students. I also didn’t feel ready to move away from home yet, so I chose my local university.

My career aspiration is to go into supply chain Logistics – there are some current key issues surrounding sustainability and visibility within the industry and I hope to be part of the change. In fact, during the interview for my work placement, we discussed these challenges and how to overcome them, which helped me secure the role.

The course modules I’m studying will benefit my career after I graduate as they have given me a rounded view of business, ranging from global business trends to research methods and data analysis. However, I still have much to learn and am excited to complete the strategy module, as I feel knowledge of this area is essential for businesses to stay relevant and competitive.

On a personal level, I’ve become more confident in my ability to participate in group presentations and manage deadlines, as well as to be involved in extra-curricular activities to help me improve experiences for other students. This will be key when I finish my degree as it’s essential to remain confident and positive in the working environment by regularly applying the skills I’ve developed during my degree.

I think the knowledge I’ve learnt that will be most useful in my future career is the analytical skills I’ve gained through my assignments, as these require deep research to understand business challenges and discuss practical solutions. Key modules like Sustainable Business Practices have enhanced my knowledge and desire to improve sustainability for businesses, especially for sectors like supply chain logistics that struggle to integrate it into general business activities. Other essential skills I’ve gained are teamwork, collaboration, data collection, and time management.

I’ve recently successfully secured a job for my placement year, which I’ll be starting soon. The role is in my desired industry so it will be incredibly beneficial to gain relevant experience and decide whether I can see myself advancing in the supply chain sector.

The benefit of doing a placement year is that I’ll gain first-hand experience which employers will value after my degree, and I hope to stand out from the graduates who have simply finished their course with no experience or evidence of their skills. So, while my course has taught me the theory to apply to small projects and assignments in a practical way, I’m excited to use it to gain industry insights and see how businesses operate. I’m also keen to become more confident in my excel skills outside the basics I’ve learnt during my degree as I recognise how critical this will be within many business sectors. Additionally, the placement will teach me skills specific to the supply chain industry, such as negotiation and risk management, as well as helping me develop practical skills and build professional relationships. These will benefit me in the future as I may have the opportunity to return to my placement company once I graduate or gain strong references from the organisation combined with real experiences to back up my knowledge. I’ll also be better able to prove my resilience in future interviews as I’ll be exposed to some tough situations and challenges.

My main tip on applying for a placement is to apply for everything – although you can quickly rule out the ones you know you won’t enjoy (I didn’t apply for any finance-focused placements as maths and numbers aren’t my strong point). There are some roles with more niche titles which might put you off initially so read the job description and responsibilities to help you decide whether to apply, but I’d generally say just apply and see where it gets you. After you’ve applied for a few, create a spreadsheet or word document with the job title, company and your progress on each application as it’s easy to forget what you’ve applied for! Lastly, do your research on the company so they can see you have come prepared for the interview.

Having said that, remember that you’re still a student and your experience may be limited at this point, so don’t worry as your placement company knows this and is there to provide you with the support you’re seeking.

Alongside my studies, I’m a student representative for my course. We meet once a semester and gather information from our peers to act as a voice for students who struggle to speak up with positive feedback or areas of improvement. I’m also involved in a project called Belonging in Business which aims to improve the experience of first year students on the course. Our discussions range from lecturer feedback and new ways of assessing students, to suggestions for structuring an online session.

These extra-curricular opportunities will enhance my career prospects by developing my leadership, communication and teamwork skills, as well as allowing me to represent others and work on projects that create positive changes. Being a course representative and contributing to projects that improve experiences demonstrates my initiative and responsibility which are valued qualities I’ll be able to apply to any organisation.

The advice I’d give to undergraduates interested in this career path would be to take on as many opportunities as you can but also look after yourself and don’t burn out – University can be a lot!

My UON experience so far has been supportive and practical, with rewarding experiences which will benefit my future.