Westminster students gain careers insight through What Comes Next? events

The first event of the semester took place on 3 February for Finance BSc Honours students, who had the opportunity to hear from course alumni about their careers. Chaired by Tom Lowe, Employability Director at Westminster’s School of Finance and Accounting, the panel welcomed recent graduates working across the finance sector to share their experiences and advice with the 50 students in attendance.  

Panellists included Aurora Zullo, an Investment Analyst at Queen Mary University of London; Iva Bohra, an Analyst in Global External Relations at Boston Consulting Group; Priscilla Tortelli, an Associate at consultancy firm Alvarez and Marsal; and Samiul Suhel, Business Finance Partner at the House of Commons.

Finance panel

This was followed on 13 February by a panel for Accounting BSc Honours students, chaired by Principal Lecturer in Accounting Dr Petar Sudar. 31 students joined the session to gain practical guidance on building a career in accounting from alumni with firsthand experience of the industry.

Speakers included Endrit Morina, Finance Manager at beauty brand Fable and Mane; Minnu Meria George, Finance Analyst at the NHS partnership Synnovis; Naga Putcha, Senior Financial Analyst at the London Ambulance Service; and Vasumathi Ravichandran, Management Accountant at Heal's retail company.

The next event took place on 18 February for students studying Psychology BSc Honours, Psychology and Criminology BSc Honours, Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience BSc Honours and Psychology and Counselling BSc Honours. The multidisciplinary panel was chaired by Senior Lecturer Chantel Gautier and attended by 45 students, who were introduced to the wide of career pathways available to Psychology graduates.

A variety of professions were showcased by the panel, spanning entrepreneurship, education and scientific research. Panellists included Neema Lakhani, Certified Life Coach at NL Reflect and Learn; Phoebe Myers, Learning Assistant and Tutor; and Ursula Wade, Technical Writer at Goodfellow Advanced Materials.

Psychology panel

On 5 March, Reader in Sociology Dr Umit Cetin hosted a panel event for Criminology BA Honours, Sociology BA Honours and Sociology and Criminology BA Honours students. The event gave 19 attendees the opportunity to hear directly from graduates working across the public, private and third sectors.  

The panel consisted of Daisy Heloussala, Wealth Administrator at financial advisers RBC Brewin Dolphin; Harkiran Bharij, Programmes Assistant at The Social Change Nest; Irene Sangaletti, Support Worker at His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Wandsworth; and Karolina, a Prison Officer at His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).  

The final event of the semester was held online on 18 March for Biomedical Science BSc Honours students. Chaired by Marco Saia, Senior Lecturer in Life Sciences, the session saw 103 attendees learn about the wide range of career paths available to Westminster Biomedical Science students after graduation.  

Alumni speakers included Clodagh Allen, Teacher of Science at Heartlands High School; Ramatulai Barrie, Biomedical Scientist at The Doctors Laboratory; Shandana Ali Khan, Account Manager at healthcare communications consultancy Lucid Group; and Sulaiman Faisal, Dental student at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry.  

The What Comes Next? programme was introduced as a course-aligned, in-curriculum event series in 2021 to provide students with the opportunity to learn about the career options available to them after graduation and network with recent graduates who studied the same courses in a relaxed, familiar environment. The programme forms a key part of Zone29, the University’s new home for careers and enterprise, by connecting students from all backgrounds to industry professionals.

About the events Mary Dent, Alumni Relations Officer (Student Experience) at the University of Westminster, said: “Semester two of our What Comes Next? event series has been another real success, with 248 students attending and 19 alumni returning to speak on our five panel events. It has been great working closely with academic colleagues to deliver events that feel genuinely useful and relatable for students. We are really grateful to our recent graduate speakers for helping make the series so valuable.”

These events directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.  

Find out more about Zone29 at the University of Westminster.  

Discover ways to get involved as a Westminster alumnus.