Roisean Farquhar (2019), Marketing Lead, Projects EMEA
During my degree, I was given the opportunity to undertake multiple courses participating with local businesses and further a three-month project with Tendeka in which I would produce a report and presentation for them rather than a traditional dissertation.
I picked up as much experience as was possible while studying full time but the opportunity to study in this way for three months was an opportunity that I think really helped me while applying for jobs. When I applied for my [first post-Masters] role at Apollo Offshore Engineering I was the first graduate that they had hired in that role, and my track record with industry and positive feedback meant I was able to stand out from the crowd.
The highlight of my experience at the University of Aberdeen was my work placement with Tendeka and the great opportunity for learning it provided. Oil and Gas is one of the most complicated industries to understand, especially in the beginning and having to write a marketing project was incredibly challenging but rewarding. I had the most supportive project supervisor that gave me the confidence I needed to succeed. Furthermore, my project mentors from the company were also incredibly supportive and encouraging, they made what was initially a daunting and intimidating task into something that I was immensely proud of, that I had produced within nine weeks.
I would tell someone who is considering studying at Aberdeen that it [my undergraduate and postgraduate studies] was the best five years of my life, and I had the most fun but also the most challenging time, and felt like I grew as a person hugely. Try and get involved in things you’re interested in such as sports, societies or committees. I was part of Aberdeen Snow and the Athena Swan committee, and on top of the more academic aspects of university you learn so much and gain so much from these experiences.