A broad programme<\/h2>\n
I applied to the Business and Management<\/a> programme as I felt it was very broad and I was looking forward to the Year in Industry<\/a>. For me I was unsure of what area of business I wanted\u00a0to specialise in, and therefore the range of modules including Marketing and the Value Chain<\/a>, Management Principles<\/a>, Business Financial Management<\/a> and many more drew me towards the course as I believed I would be able to explore different areas and discover what best suited my skill set, which I later found was accounting\/finance.<\/p>\n The second major benefit of the course for me was the Year in Industry<\/a> opportunity. Wanting a career in business I was aware that experience is key and when applying for highly competitive graduate schemes it would be a huge advantage to have a solid year of professional experience against my name. However, having been on placement I have discovered that a Year in Industry<\/a> provides much more than just a competitive advantage in the job market.<\/p>\n I am currently working at Grant Thornton UK LLP<\/a>, a professional services firm. I work within the advisory sector and more specifically within the Complex International Insolvency Team. The role is great and due to the nature of the team I work within I have been able to somewhat shape my placement and have been given exposure to the areas of work I chose. I have also been surprised at the level of responsibility I have been given and this has made me feel like an integral part of the team – not ‘just a placement student’ .<\/p>\n At Grant Thornton<\/a>, on the graduate advisory rotational scheme, there are a number of places available specifically for placement students. I am working towards being selected for the graduate scheme as I have thoroughly enjoyed my placement so far and I think it would be an excellent firm to train at to become a qualified accountant. I would definitely recommend a Year in Industry<\/a>\u00a0as the Kent Business School Employability and Placements Team <\/a>are there to support you every step of the way, including throughout your Year in Industry<\/a>.<\/p>\n One piece of advice I would give is to consider not only the job role and the name of the company\/brand but also the culture of the business. In order to get the most out of your Year in Industry<\/a> you need to be in an environment that allows you to grow and the culture of the business will somewhat determine this. Overall, although it may seem tough to get a placement as the application processes can be grueling and it is likely that you will receive several rejections before obtaining a place, in my experience it is more than worth it and I would recommend it to everyone. Good luck!<\/p>\n Many thanks to Jemma for sharing her wisdom. Find out more about the Year in Industry<\/a>, careers and employability support<\/a> and Kent Business School undergraduate programmes<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n I am a student studying\u00a0BA Accounting and Management with a Year in Industry<\/a> at Kent Business School<\/a>.<\/p>\n I am currently studying on my Year in Industry at\u00a0Grant Thornton UK LLP<\/a>.<\/p>\n View Jemma on LinkedIn.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Year in Industry<\/h2>\n
My placement<\/h2>\n
Graduate scheme<\/h2>\n
Advice<\/h2>\n
Student Blogger:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Jemma Meek
![\"jemma-meek\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kent-business-matters\/files\/2017\/03\/jemma-meek.jpg\")
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