Shenaz Allybokus
I joined Nottingham Trent University full of hope, excitement, ambition and energy in 2005. I studied BA Sociology and graduated in 2008 – not expecting it to be the height of the recession.
I loved studying Sociology at NTU. We covered everything from politics, natural disasters, crime, housing, religion and spirituality, family, and research.
For me the moments that stick in my head the most, (aside from the epic partying), is our seminars on the societal effects of socio-economic disadvantage after a natural disaster; and debating immigration – its causes and effects - with my class. All were contentious topics at the time and what I loved about NTU the most was how our lecturers would always let us, in fact encourage us, to speak our mind constructively.
Another scene that I frequently recall is the endless 2am nights typing my 10,000 word dissertation with the “Simple Life” on in the background. Mind numbing tv to keep the flow of a year-long, researched, laboured project of “Religion and its effect on youth attitudes and practices to sex”.
I enjoyed every moment of my time at NTU, and I still think of it as some of the best years of my life.
When I left in 2008, I had a rough idea that I wanted to go into Human Resources as I wanted to support people. We’d had a talk from Procter and Gamble where they spoke about different departments and what they do, and that area spoke to me the most.
Once I graduated, I was fortunate to get a job immediately for Ford in the HR department - which lasted a grand total of 10 weeks before being made redundant! It was the height of the recession in late 2008 and the automotive industry was particularly affected.
Following this I job hunted incredibly hard. There were a lot of rejections for a graduate with no work experience other than retail and hospitality, and I ended up doing a sales role, and eventually working for the DWP in a local job centre. I stayed there for 2 years, then eventually got back into a HR Role in London working for a global news agency. I continued to move jobs every year for a decade, moving between HR and Recruitment never quite finding the right fit for me, my skills and my ambitions.
Three years ago, I started working for Essex Police in a recruitment role, which quickly led me into my current role of Diversity and Inclusion Co-Ordinator. If you had said that job title to me in 2008, or even in 2018, I wouldn’t have been entirely sure what it meant and certainly wouldn’t have known it was my dream job.
What I do now, is fight for equality for all underrepresented groups in society, externally and within the police. That includes everything from recruitment, to ensuring we have faith rooms, supporting and developing staff, exploring accessibility, gender equality, race equality, LGBTQ+ equality in all forms. It is the most rewarding work I have ever done in my life, and I am incredibly proud of what I do.
Now, I can see how it all ties back to the Sociology degree and the three years at NTU. It’s the understanding of society, its groups, injustices, hardships – and working out what to do to help. The research we do in my role, the trends we look at all circle back to what I covered in my degree, and I love being able to see the relevance and pay off now.
My advice to all current students is start exploring – now. Don’t wait until you graduate. Look at different sectors, do work experience, shadowing, internships, part time jobs, summer jobs – anything that helps you work out what you do, or don’t, enjoy.
For those of you who are graduating, I’m sorry it doesn’t quite look how you expected it to but be incredibly proud of what you’ve achieved and know your time at NTU will stay with you for life. The skills you build, the people you meet – they stay in your heart and mind.
Keep an open mind with career choices, explore, and know that it doesn’t have to be perfect first time around. Try different roles, volunteer, even have hobbies to develop your skills. Utilise alumni services and keep your networks growing, and strong. Stay motivated and proactive, but don’t be too hard on yourself.
My top tip for class of 2020 in one sentence:
For the short term, keep your goals simple and achievable.
For the long term, dream big and aim for the stars – your ultimate career path is waiting for you.