David Yodaiken

1. How did you hear about Leeds University Business School and why did you choose to study here? 

Through online media and living near to Leeds, I'd heard a good reputation from the University and then decided to pay a visit to the see what I felt about the place. I chose to study here for a variety of reasons including its location, friendliness, quality of research, and the applicability of courses to real world businesses.

2. Tell us about your course – why did you choose it?

The course content really appealed to me, I've always been fascinated by psychology and to be able to do a course which applies those constructs to business is both interesting and gives me huge potential to increase my job prospects.

3. What are the best things about studying here – what have you enjoyed the most? 

The personal and friendly approach of the lecturers with the relatively small group allowed us to really explore topics in detail. And the atmosphere encouraged active learning and made it easy to approach lecturers. This was furthered by the support made available by the Business School and my personal tutor. So you can study at Leeds with confidence that your concerns, whether work related or not, will be answered.

Furthermore, I have thoroughly enjoyed the extra-curricular activities which have been available at events, workshops and more. They have been very rewarding personally and have increased my job prospects. They even opened my eyes up to career paths which I hadn't considered. 

4. Have there been any notable highlights during your studies – any prizes or achievements you are particularly proud of?

For my dissertation I applied alongside many on the course to a project with Bentley Motors. We were put through a selection process, at which I was successful. This is a great achievement due to the high standards of the organisation.

5. Tell us about your dissertation project with Bentley Motors – how did you get the opportunity and what is the focus of your project?

The opportunity was presented by an existing partnership that the University has with Bentley Motors. They had an idea of the type of projects they wanted and we had to come up with an academic direction to take them.

Following this we had to send our CV's and our ideas on the project scope. The focus of the project is the development of a cost-conscious culture in the engineering population. We visited the company and also hosted a representative from the company in Leeds. We met with a departmental head/project leader who clarified the needs of the organisation.

6. How will the work you have completed during your dissertation help Bentley?

The dissertation will help give an insight into the development of product cost and optimisation initiatives, and the current opinions of engineering employees. 

7. What have you gained most from the dissertation project, what have you enjoyed and how will it help your career?

I have learned a lot of transferable skills, including research skills and skills in the processes and procedural elements of businesses. Furthermore, it has given me insight into the bridge between academic work and the requirements of an organisation. It has helped me to develop communication skills, and I have also been given an internship at the organisation in question in order to continue the project.

8. What have you been doing since finishing your Masters degree? What are your career aspirations?

I am currently completing the internship I was offered at Bentley. The internship is a great opportunity to develop my skills and gain some experience at a multinational organisation. We were given this opportunity as part of the research project. Having such an organisation on my CV will be worth its weight in gold in the long run! Combined with the learning we will experience at the organisation, I'm very excited to keep forward with it. After the internship, I have been offered a position at Vodafone World HQ in Newbury, so I think I will pursue this.

9. How do you think the experience and skills you are getting at the Business School will help you in your future career?

The Business School has helped me to develop skills which are transferable to working in reality. These include presentation and analysis skills and many more. The course has helped me to develop my understanding of working processes, as well as the requirements of working in a group to achieve certain tasks and goals.

10. What has been your experience of student life at Leeds? 

I am from Yorkshire, so I have a lot of love for the region - a mixture of large cities with lots of opportunity, as well as the open countryside to explore in the Yorkshire Dales. This gave me and my peers a lot of scope to explore and do some trips to see various places. The staff / peer relationship is very good, maintaining a level of respect for the staff but allowing them to still be highly approachable.

11. Are there any experiences outside of your studies that you particularly enjoy?

Activities such as squash and tennis are amongst my favourites, however we as a group on the course went out for dinner together and got involved with nightlife activities in the Students’ Union and more.

12.  Would you recommend the Business School to others who are considering studying here?

I would highly recommend the Business School to others considering studying here. The one piece of advice I would give is to investigate the course content before and see if it’s that which you want to explore. I believe that experience for me was the main reason the course has been so satisfying.