Alumni Stories – Namrata Suman

  1st July 2024

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This series of posts looks at what our former students do after they graduate in History at the University of Gloucestershire. It demonstrates the various types of employment and further study they can go into. It provides useful guides for existing students, but also highlights the fascinating journeys of our graduates. The next story comes from Namrata Suman (Class of 2010), who talks about her journey into project management.

I began studying History at the University in 2007 and completed my degree in 2010.  I was fortunate to study a variety of historical eras. Along the way I acquired a wide range of vocational and transferrable skills, including written expression, communication, teamwork, independent research, resource utilisation and time management. 

During the degree course, I made the decision to live on campus and I enjoyed the independent life in Cheltenham. The friends that I made in class and halls remain a significant part of my life today. After graduation, I held a couple customer-facing positions that allowed me to connect with a range of people and hone my interpersonal, communication and teamwork abilities. To round out my skill set, I also took on roles such as team representative and leader. 

After a few years, I applied for a training placement overseas to improve my employability. I was accepted on the EU-funded Leonardo da Vinci programme, which required me to work in Berlin for nine weeks. I was assigned to work with a small tour company, helping them to conduct research for new and future trips. I generated tour concepts using the methods I’d developed at university, ultimately to ensure we were offering more off-the-beaten-path experiences. 

My trip to Berlin also introduced me to areas of history I hadn’t fully explored, such as the East-West divide, which still fascinates me today. I’d strongly encourage any student to think about participating in a vocational placement; it’s an engaging experience that pushes you beyond your comfort zone, is supportive, and lots of fun. 

In recent years, I’ve been working as a project manager in the health and hygiene industry, overseeing projects from concept to launch. I monitor the status of my projects, and as part of my regular tasks, I also organise weekly calls with my team to discuss projects, keep my customers updated on project status, and turn over projects to the wider business when they’re ready for production. 

In terms of job development or choice, I think it’s helpful to ask the following types of questions that I’ve found to be relevant: 

• Where are you now? 
• Where do you want to go? 
• How might you get there? 
• Who can help (resources)? 

Away from work, my interests include reading, going on nature walks, seeing friends, attending music concerts, and adopting a daily meditation practice to benefit my mental well-being.