Why University Was the Right Choice for Me to Pursue Chemistry
Find out more about Rob's decision to join the MChem Chemistry degree at the University of Lincoln through clearing and how it has led to his career at Unilever.
At such a time of rising costs of living and changing circumstances around the globe, I thought it was important to explain to future students why I think university was the right choice for me and to talk about my journey. Ultimately, thanks to the hard work I put in, the University of Lincoln led me to my full-time job working as a Formulation Design Technologist at Unilever; a global consumer goods company leading the space in making sustainable living commonplace.
Back when I was 18, I had no clue which university to go to, or even if I wanted to go to university! I knew from a very young age that I really enjoyed solving puzzles and problems but could never really understand how to solve them in a real-life situation. I also knew that when I was older, I wanted to work in a lab, but wasn’t sure what this would finally look like, and found this, honestly quite daunting.
I began looking at apprenticeships that pay for your degree because this seemed the best way to get experience and get into a job and start earning. However, I quickly realised there were not that many opportunities around me that were laboratory-based, so I decided university was the only option for me to pursue Chemistry. Initially, I wanted to go to the University of Brighton to study Chemistry. However, I changed my mind at the last minute and applied to Lincoln’s MChem programme through UCAS clearing not expecting to get a place, but I did!
I fondly remember that Lincoln stood out to me, particularly the School of Chemistry for their pioneering professional practice programs, where I could get industrial experience whilst I was studying. This was sort of what I was initially looking for with the apprenticeship schemes to get my foot in the door.
I had extremely low self-confidence in my abilities in 1st year and even 2nd year, but I proved to myself that by working hard and getting ahead I could do well! 3rd year came round ridiculously quickly, (and I mean very fast looking back on it now) and the dreaded applications for industrial placements started thick and fast. Again, I chose not to believe in myself, but when I had an interview in the October of 2019, I was shocked. I’d barely started 3rd year and there was already an employer who was thinking of hiring me! Again, this was because of the industrial experience. I gained through the professional practice course!
Just before the first lockdown, I secured my Industrial Placement with a small pharmaceutical company in North Wales! Albeit, not for the company that offered me my first interview, as this didn’t go to plan, and I was very nervous.
In the 4th and final year of my MChem programme, I completed my industrial placement while studying full time, (my course was structured this way from the beginning to roll off straight into a job). This time, I chose to believe in myself and flourished as a result.
Now I’m working for Unilever! There were so many ups and downs as part of my university experience, but if I had the opportunity to go back to the start and start again, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second. The University of Lincoln brought out the best in me and helped me see the person I am today. It was a fantastic life-changing experience!