What is your current profession?

I am a Troop Commander in the Royal Signals, British Army.

Describe your role.

I am responsible for the management of a Troop of 30-40 Royal Signals Soldiers who are trained in the delivery of communications and information systems, which allow the Army to communicate both whilst deployed both within the Theatre of Operations, and also back to UK.

What did you do immediately after leaving University?

I visited my local Armed Forces Careers Office and started the process of application to serve as an Officer in the British Army. This started with an initial interview to determine my suitability for a commission and to establish which roles I would be suited to within the Army. I then attended familiarisation visits to the Royal Signals and to the Royal Engineers. These visits are 2-3 days long and allow you to gain an insight of what life in the Army is like and also what the different cap badges can offer.

What did you do whilst studying that helped pave the way into your chosen career?

No particular part of my course, electives or the co-curricular activities I did were requirements for the job which I now do, however the sum of all the parts, along with the life skills I developed whilst I was a student, are invaluable. My time at university has given me a breadth of experiences which I draw on a daily basis, whether it be back in camp dealing with day-to-day issues, or deployed on operations in Afghanistan or Iraq.

What skills and attributes did you develop as part of your course?

Some of the leadership and communications theory was relevant in my studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

What skills and attributes did you develop from your co-curricular activities?

I played in the LUU Symphony Orchestra, Captained the University Women’s Rugby team, and was also a member of the Swimming and Waterpolo and the Ladies Cricket Club. I also played Rugby Union for the Wales Academy team and rugby league for Great Britain Student team. These all helped to develop working as part of a team which is very important in the Army.

What advice would you have for students studying today?

To make the most of all opportunities available to them and enjoy being a student - working hard and getting a good degree is important, but all those extra things make you a more rounded individual and give you experiences that will help you deal with situations you may encounter in the future.