Why should you study a degree in English?

“Use the youth you have on your side, and use it to really explore what you love to do"

I graduated from MA English Literature in 2009, where I then got a job at the BBC in local radio which led to a long career doing news programmes and more importantly doing sports. Throughout my time at the BBC, I was a reporter, presenter and commentator where I covered UEFA Champions League Finals, FA Cup Finals and many more exciting events. I have recently just left, and I am now a match day commentator for MUTV. Recently I set up a little production company because I have dreams of making big documentaries about sport as well as topics outside of the subject area. 

Some advice that I would give to students now and to my younger self, is to not worry if you are still unclear of the career path you want to take. You can really get hung up on it, but you have so much time and eventually the thing you love to do will become apparent, but you're not going to know what this is until you have tried a couple of things. Use the youth that you have on your side and use it to really explore what you love to do.

And one thing that I learnt through my degree and further on in my career is how important confidence is, as everything you do revolves around people, having the ability to hold a conversation and understand how people work is key. 

“A skill that we have as English graduates is to really think and experience life quite widely, as it enables us 'to try before we buy' and then build ourselves to understand what values we hold and how that can build into a career"

I graduated in 2001 with a degree in English and Cultural studies and then continued with education by studying Documentary Production which I graduated from in 2005.

One of my first jobs was working within the University teaching Word scope- a programme to help students overcome common writing problems- across English and Sociology. I am now a progamme director for an Arts Council funded project called Creative Basildon where I help create artist activity with communities to engage more people with art more often. Alongside this I am also an arts practitioner and, artistic director and one of the last pieces I created was a commission for the army at Edinburgh Fringe. It was an interesting piece about PTSD and women in the army, and it became an audio walking tour across the city streets in Edinburgh. 

One of the skills I believe we have as English gradates is to really think and experience life quite widely, as it enables us 'to try before we buy' and then build ourselves to understand what values we hold and how that can build into a career.