Damith Rajakaruna

Where are you now?

Living in London and working for the EDF Energy London Eye

How did you get there?

After Graduating from Aberystwyth University I moved to London to work at a travel agency to get work experience. After accumulating three months of work experience I decided to look for a job directly relating to tourism, which involved facing customers. I came across a seasonal job in the retail department of the London Eye working as a guest service assistant during the summer months. I applied for the job and within two weeks of being assessed I was offered the job. After proving my worth during the three month seasonal contract I was offered a permanent role working for the London Eye.

Where are you going?

I see this opportunity as a stepping stone in my career. The London Eye is one of the biggest tourist attractions in London and the organisation who operate it (Merlin Entertainments) are one of the biggest Entertainment organisations in the world. I would like to further my career within this prestigious organisation as I have a passion for working for a company involved in tourism attractions business. I would like to progress from my current role to become a Team leader within the retail department. I have shadowed employees in other departments of the organisation such as Commercial, Hospitality and Rides control to gain knowledge of how each department works. In the future I could possibly apply for senior positions within the EDF Energy London Eye or any of the other attractions operated by Merlin either in the UK or any of the other 16 countries in which it operates worldwide.

What, if anything, would you have done differently during your time at Aberystwyth to help you better prepare for your career/life upon graduation?

I would have spent more time considering my future careers options at an earlier stage in my university life, and would have sought more advice from lecturers as well as well as the Careers Advisory Service.  I would also participate in more work experience opportunities in tourism related organisations so to get a taste of different careers that could be considered for after graduation.  

What advice would you give to a student doing your subject at university now?

Always ask for help and don't hesitate to go to see your lecturers about any problems. During your holidays go to visit places where you may like to work in the future and attempt to accumulate relevant work experience. This will inform you of your suitability to certain careers and will allow you to develop invaluable contacts with people in the industry. It may also open doors for your future career. Think about what you want to achieve from going to University and how you are going to get there.