Amy Benstead
BSc Operations Management, 2007
Country of origin: UK
Placement employer: L'Oréal
Employer: Stirling Group
Lancaster University Management School has a really friendly learning environment and an excellent reputation for developing tomorrow’s business leaders. I feel proud and privileged to have been part of that ethos for four years – and I know it will stand me in good stead for the future.
My Operations Management degree was a thoroughly enjoyable course with enough flexibility to allow me to study a broad range of subjects whilst at the same time studying specialist areas in depth. As well as improving my knowledge, the degree helped develop my presentation, negotiation, problem-solving and mathematical skills.
Lectures were interactive, innovative and highly relevant to the modern world of commerce and industry, mixing academic study with real operations management consultancy projects – which I particularly enjoyed. There was also a strong focus on group work and group learning.
The multicultural Management School gives students the chance to learn, build good working relationships and friendships with colleagues from very different cultural backgrounds. The main highlight for me within my four-year degree scheme was the opportunity to spend a twelve-month internship at L’Oréal in their supply and distribution centre. This enabled me to build on the knowledge and skills learnt at Lancaster and to enhance my final-year studies.
I was actively involved in University life and made many friends who like me made the most of campus life and the many clubs and bars in Lancaster. Not long after starting my first year I became actively involved in several societies. The highlight of this was being elected President of the Young Entrepreneurs’ Society and introducing the Young Enterprise Scheme to the University.
I now work for a company called Stirling Group, based in Altrincham. Stirling are a global textile manufacturing company and are one of Marks and Spencer's main suppliers for whom they design and make clothes. I started on the Graduate Management Trainee Programme. The programme gets you involved in every part of the business and you spend time in all of the different departments, which provides a very rounded experience.
