Event Management and Public Relations student Kyle Dougherty tells us why he made the move to London and what prompted him to choose his course at London Met.
What attracted you to the course?
I wanted to live in London and London Met offered an events course which I was interested in, along with an optional sandwich course which really attracted me. The course itself was attractive as it was so broad – covering lots of different aspects of what I want to go into in my career, meaning my options after I graduate would be broader...
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I am originally from Northern Ireland and the youngest and only one in my family to have gone to university. I moved to London at the age of 18 and the thought for me was more exciting than daunting. I had always wanted to move here from a young age, and since then I haven't looked back. I have always had an interest in the creative industries and working with people – so events seemed to be the perfect route for me to take. During my studies I have branched out into doing a lot of my own events and found many opportunities that I wouldn't have if I wasn't in London.
How have you found the course at London Met?
London Met has lecturers who have been where you want to be, and who have the experience and knowledge to share with you and help you grow along with your studies. They are always willing to help and provide their advice whenever you need – this doesn't happen a lot in other universities. Not only this but the opportunities that the University provides students is great, they offer jobs and placements and study abroad programmes to help students get the best experience while studying.
How has the course prepared you for the world of work?
The events management degree gives students hands on in experience in planning their own events. Whether the event be a success or failure, it gives the students an opportunity to do it themselves and learn from it – which is not just great experience but something you can add to your CV. I did a sandwich year where I did a placement year within the University as a marketing assistant – my managers involved me in a lot of events and gave me a lot of relevant experience to develop my degree-related skills which has been a great help.
Top tips for students at university
Grab every opportunity while you can. Your three years will go faster than you think! Make the most of extra time you have and get an internship or job in something degree-related so you have the upper hand of everyone else once you graduate. Although having a degree is important, employers really want to see what you've done while you're studying, so making good use of your time is a lot more valuable than just having a degree.
