A record number of the students who graduated from University Campus Suffolk today have received jobs at Willis, the global insurance brokers.
Seven Business Management graduates have taken up the positions with one of Ipswich’s largest employers, after completing successful summer work placements with the firm.
The seven students are Chetan Mistry, Lucy Joachim, Kelly Walton, Kim Birch, Jacob Fordham, Sarah Maker, and Peter Vamvakidis.
Speaking at his graduation ceremony, Peter Vamvakidis said students and graduates should take as many opportunities to network as possible in order to ensure future success.
“I would say the best piece of advice is to take every opportunity you can, the key thing to do is network, I think it’s undervalued,” he said. “While at university use all the networks available to you, create networks, just get involved, do as many internships as possible.
“At the end of the day you are your brand and you have to market yourself any kind of differentiator that will stand you in better stead than anyone else is the best thing.”
Kelly Walton is now an account handler within corporate aviation at Willis Aerospace. “The course equipped me with a great level of business knowledge and provided me with opportunities I would not have had otherwise,” she said.
Gary Shoesmith, Education Liaison Director,at Willis Group, Ipswich, said: “Our relationship with UCS has flourished over the past few years and has formed an integral part of our Ipswich based recruitment strategy.
“By working with the students from their first year we have been able to build their understanding of the skills and attributes sought by employers. As a global insurance broker we also value the diverse range of international students recruited by UCS.
“All 13 UCS students employed by Willis since 2010 are still with us and importantly making significant contributions to our business operations. The emphasis UCS has embedded in student employability upon graduation has been very refreshing. We anticipate our UCS relationships growing ever stronger as we seek to significantly grow our Ipswich operations over the coming years.”
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