Learning about UK Work Culture

The day started with a visit to the European headquarters of Bloomberg, which hosts 4000 employees in London. Cameron Bateman, Buyside OMS Account Manager and Newcastle University graduate, gave us a tour around their impressive, art-filled premises: from their dramatic “Vortex”  lobby, through their live newsroom, right up to their grab-and-go pantry space, with a breath-taking view of St Paul’s Cathedral. The impact of seeing staff at work in this context was immediate, one of our students commented:

"The design of the space was amazing—everything from the open layouts to the focus on collaboration felt like a great environment to work in"

Cameron gave a demonstration of the Bloomberg Terminal, their number one product, which is used for live market data, analytics, and trading capabilities by most financial services. We then heard from Nelly Silva, an international graduate from Newcastle University, now working as a Senior Data Management Professional at Bloomberg. She gave the group insight into her personal experience of moving to a UK workplace after graduation and answered questions on everything from how to build relationships in the workplace to understanding the work culture of London.

Following lunch, and some quick sightseeing, the group headed to PwC. Another impressive workspace, PwC’s Embankment Place is famous for being one of the world’s most sustainable commercial buildings. Upon arrival we heard from Karl Saunt, UK Partner with a focus on data and analytics, who gave an overview of PwC, expressing their commitment to a diverse workforce.

The students moved into small groups and started work on a case study, giving them a hands-on insight into what it would be like to work as a consultant. One of our students told us:

"The case study gave us a glimpse into the kind of complex challenges consultants deal with—and how quickly they need to make sense of a client’s situation"

After taking turns to present their findings, each group benefited from expert feedback from Advisory Senior Manager, and Newcastle University alumnus, Shaun Boyle. PwC then provided an experienced panel of alumni, led by Rob McCargow, Technology Impact Leader. Rob and Shaun, along with Senior Manager, Harry Sibbald, and Senior Associate, Ruby Smith, answered questions from our students, sharing their experiences of working culture, highlights from their time at Newcastle and tips on what it takes to stand out and succeed.

After another short break, the group made their way to a networking event at Black Sheep Coffee. We were joined by our London based Newcastle alumni, as well as Business School students who were also out in London on employer visits organised by their school.  For many of our students, the value of this opportunity to speak to alumni couldn’t be overstated. They told us:

"The alumni event allowed us to hear first-hand experiences from people who had once been in our shoes. Their guidance was incredibly insightful and reassuring"

After the visit, our students told reflected on the event and told us how the experience had broadened their understanding of professional life in the UK and made them feel more confident and better prepared for their future careers. In their words, taking part:

"gave me valuable insights that went beyond what I could find through online research or job descriptions"