Rosemary Barron
Course: BA French with History
Graduated: 2006/07 Academic Year
Destination approx. 6 months after graduation: Medal Assessor, Ministry of Defence
Background
I decided to go to university as I did not feel entirely ready for the world of work and was unsure what else to do. I was also inspired by the fact my older brothers had gone to university and had enjoyed the experience.
I was interested in studying a course that involved travelling and thought that by studying a language, I would have the option to spend some time abroad. I initially thought that I’d like to study a bit of Art too, so looked into French and Art study schemes. After taking a module in history however, I opted for this area as my minor instead of Art. I felt a joint honours study scheme offered a more balanced and varied learning experience than a single honours course.
I chose Aber mainly because of the beach! I really wanted to live by the sea. It was also one of the only universities to offer my original course choice of French and Art.
Where are you now?
I am currently working as a Medal Assessor for the Ministry of Defence. I work near Gloucester on a former RAF base where I assess applications and claims for World War II medals. This involves reading through archives of soldiers to check where they went, and how long for so that I can process veterans and next of kin’s claims for medals.
I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and the fact that my job is so interesting - no two cases are the same. I get to look into the story and the history of each person which is really absorbing.
How did you get there?
I had a long search looking for a job - about six months! In that time I applied to lots of recruitment agencies, one of which passed my CV on to the Ministry of Defence who then selected me for this job. I think this was due to the fact that I had studied a lot about World War II as part of the history aspect of my course.
As mentioned before, the fact I had balanced my degree out by including history really helped - not only because of the subject specifically, but it also enabled me to learn a wider variety of skills.
Socially I think living in halls was a big step for me - it gave me a lot of confidence. I gained a lot of important social skills from going out and joining clubs etc. There is such a variety of people from all over the country and beyond at Aber to mix with, which helps make you more culturally aware and broaden your horizons in terms of opinions on many matters.
On the work experience side I spent a year abroad in France as part of my degree scheme. Whilst I was there I worked as an English Assistant to 11-15 year olds and this really helped improve my spoken French as I had no other option but to get stuck in and speak the language.
I was an active member of the Christian Union at Aber. I didn’t find the time to join any other societies unfortunately, as I would have liked to have tried some new things and had the opportunity to meet even more people.
Where are you going?
I do not know what I am going to do after this job - as I work through an agency there is a degree of uncertainty surrounding my job. Once I leave this job I expect I will apply for work with a local council as I like to help people and would prefer to work there rather than with an organisation that is all about profit.
What advice would you give to a student doing your subject at university now?
I would advise making your degree as broad as possible by choosing extra modules and gaining a wide cultural understanding. These are all skills that will stand you in good stead in the future.