Duo catch the business bug

Craig Evetts and Ashley Anderson have clearly caught the business studies bug. For the duo have graduated from the University of Teesside with BA (Honours) degrees in Human Resource Management (HRM), and both have returned to Teesside, to enrol for Masters degrees in Business.

Ashley, 27, from Marske, came top of the HRM course by achieving a First Class degree and has also been awarded the Tees Valley Branch CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Student) of the Year Prize. Before she returned to education, Ashley worked as a Manager and an Area Manager for a retail company, before returning to education. She said: “I decided to change career direction and Teesside is one of the few universities whose HRM course is accredited by the CIPD. This gives me Graduate membership of the Institute, which is essential for a career in HRM.

“I was able to bring my previous work experience to the course, which was strengthened through theoretical understanding. The University’s Learning Resource Centre was excellent and the course lecturers were always available if you needed help. The Masters will provide a broader commercial understanding of business which will complement the knowledge gained on the HRM degree and assist my career in HR.”

Craig, 23, from Redcar, came to the University after studying ‘A’ levels in Law and Psychology, a GNVQ in Advanced Business and Finance and accountancy qualifications, all at Redcar and Cleveland College. Craig said: “I became interested in HRM during the GNVQ course, which included a HRM module. Not many Universities offered a straight HRM degree, and I liked the course’s practical side, you get a real idea of what your job will involve in the future. The practical work included a negotiation exercise between management and Trade Unions, a weekly business simulation module where we looked at the different scenarios and the knock-on effects of previous decisions, and a training session, where we analysed the training needs of the class.

“We completed a lot of group work, which is very important for HRM. I’ve decided to stay on for a Masters degree, so I can build on what I’ve already learned and aim for general management.”

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