How studying an online MBA at a UK business school helped my career

Sponsored by Durham University Business School  

Studying an MBA at a UK-based business school can benefit your career in many different ways. You will be presented with numerous networking opportunities, gain access to prestigious internships and study in close proximity to companies’ international headquarters.  

Durham University Business School graduate Robin Hume (pictured above) has used his online MBA to accelerate his career progression in various management positions. He has recently started a new position as a managing consultant at Capgemini Invent, the digital innovation, design and transformation brand of the Capgemini Group. 

TopMBA spoke to Robin to find out more about how studying an online MBA at Durham University Business School helped advance his career.  

Learn to lead with a greater impact 

Robin had a strong start to his career and achieved significant professional growth before pursuing the online MBA.  

While studying his undergraduate degree at Northumbria University, Robin completed a placement year at PSA Peugeot-Citroen, which gave him an insight into corporate life. Once graduated, he started working as an Information Systems Manager for the national education charity SGOSS.  

After this he moved to Datum360 as a Project Consultant, working with energy and process companies across Europe, Australia, North America, Asia and the Middle East. His final role before moving to his current role was senior product manager at Bentley Systems. 

Despite his early career success, Robin decided to study an online MBA to help him progress more quickly into senior management positions. He wanted to continue working while studying, and the flexibility of the Durham MBA (Online) enabled him to do this.  

 “The Durham online MBA will enhance candidates' key business and leadership capabilities to enable them to achieve their career aspirations whilst they continue in full-time employment,” said the online MBA programme director at Durham University Business School, Dr Jorge Lengler. “This means they can apply what they learn directly to the organisation they work for.” 

For Robin, the MBA gave him the skills he needed to become a better leader and achieve his career aspirations. 

 “It has given me the tools to lead with much greater impact and as a result I have progressed more quickly than I would have done otherwise,” said Robin. “I could see tangible and continuous improvements on my own performance.” 

The MBA also helped Robin with his confidence. He developed structured thinking throughout the programme which allowed him to ask more pointed questions and understand information more quickly.  

“Having developed and practiced these skills in the course's safe environment and tested them incrementally as I studied, I'm now much more comfortable in situations where I do not have in-depth knowledge,” he said.  

Studying a flexible degree at a university with an excellent reputation 

The UK is known for the high standard of its higher education. 28 UK business schools feature in the most recent QS Global MBA Rankings, as well as eight schools offering online MBAs.  

Robin said: “Durham University's reputation was impossible to ignore when comparing MBA programmes and visiting Durham University Business School, meeting the academic and programme staff, underlined why this is.  

“The course struck me as being very well thought out with a view towards mixing traditional management disciplines, such as finance and people management, with forward-looking modules such as technology innovation and business analytics.” 

Durham University Business School’s online MBA is also extremely flexible, giving students the option to study entirely online or through a blended learning approach, where they will study several modules on campus.  

“The flexibility to study some modules in person at Durham University Business School was also a key reason for choosing this course over similar programmes,” said Robin. 

If, like Robin, students already have a career path in mind, the Business School encourages them to personalise their programme with optional modules which align with career aspirations and goals. 

Learn directly from other students and alumni 

When looking to progress in your career, networking is essential. This is why it’s important to choose a business school that has extensive connections. 

For more than 55 years, Durham University Business School has built strong links with businesses around the world, across a range of industries and sectors.  

There is a strong focus on networking across all of the programmes at Durham University Business School, with frequent networking events held throughout the year for students and alumni, as well as sector specific career presentations.  

Robin said: “I attended networking events among cohorts before the pandemic, and the Business School was fantastic with keeping these going virtually through lockdowns. I found them to be very beneficial and learned a lot from fellow students with varied backgrounds and careers.”  

When applying to his current role at Capgemini Invent, Robin contacted a fellow student who had worked there in the past. This student helped Robin apply for the role, offering advice about the application process. Once Robin had accepted the role, he put him in contact with some of his former colleagues who were still at the company.  

“This helped build my internal Capgemini Invent network before I had even started,” said Robin. 

Dr Lengler said: “The online MBA will give candidates the opportunity to engage with companies, classmates, and alumni from around the world. Our online MBA has students from more than 30 countries.”  

The diversity of students, alumni and faculty at Durham University Business School, as well as the collaborative nature of the online MBA, helped Robin build a global virtual network across a wide range of business sectors.  

He said: “I feel as though I could work in the USA, Australia, Nigeria, China, the UAE and many other countries, and have a network of peers I could call on for advice.  

“If I needed help, I have built friendships with experts in tech, finance, consulting, engineering and more, and I would be very comfortable calling them if I needed guidance and would be very happy for them to do the same with me. Durham University Business School, and my employer Capgemini Invent, have a global mindset - which I value immensely.”