✨ Interview with Judy, MSc BAOR 2024 Student

■ Manchester - Business Analytics: Operational Research and Risk Analysis

Manchester - MSc in Business Analytics: Operational Research and Risk Analysis

■ Background

National Taipei University

Department of Finance and Cooperative Management

GPA: 3.7/4.0

IELTS: Overall 7.0 (L:7.5, R:8.0, W:6.5, S:6.5)

Renewable energy market research firm: Researcher (studying global carbon markets)

🔸 Taking classes in BAOR

BAOR moves fast. Many courses last only five weeks, with two classes a week (about 2~3/hr each). So it's common for week one to cover basic concepts or syntax, and by week five you're already building machine learning models. You need to learn to prepare ahead of class to keep up.

For the most interesting course, the professor of Supply Chain Logistics Management really focuses on interacting with students, and you can feel a class atmosphere and teaching style that's less common in Taiwan. On the practical side, Python and Data Analytics were also very useful. The Python course had lots of hands-on coding practice, and Data Analytics gave me a clearer understanding of the overall process and structure of data analysis.

Career paths after graduation include business analyst, data analyst, consultant and risk management roles. I'm aiming to become a business analyst, and most of my classmates are working toward that too. Overall, this program suits people who want to build business analytics skills and draw insights from data, rather than people aiming for data analysis or data science. The courses include working with programming tools, but technical training isn't the core, and there's a fair amount of strategy and management content.

My cohort didn't have a course on visualization software, but it looks like the next cohort does. The school also gives students free access to this software, so you can easily learn it on your own.

🔸 Career resources galore

The school offers a wide range of practical career support. There are plenty of 1:1 CV consultation slots you can book, and sometimes you can even walk in without an appointment, which is very flexible. There are also mock interview services and career fairs held from time to time, so students can talk with employers directly.

The school also provides an AI CV optimization tool. Just paste in the description of the job you want to apply for, and it suggests improvements based on the job's requirements and how well your CV fits.

🔸 What I gained outside class

I joined several helpful societies and activities. Women in Engineering holds regular workshops and also provides a networking platform, which gave me the chance to connect with like-minded classmates from different backgrounds.

There were also technical workshops run by the Computer Science Society and the Data Science & AI Society, and analytics case competitions co-hosted by the Business Society and companies. I even joined the tennis club.

These activities enriched my life outside class and taught me practical skills from different angles. I highly recommend getting involved!

🔸 Advice for career switchers

I didn't have much relevant experience or a programming background. After two semesters, I think getting familiar with Python in advance will help you get up to speed faster. Having some basic knowledge of data processing and building predictive models will also make the semester less of a struggle, or at least give you a better idea of what to do for projects. If your career goal is business analyst or data analyst, you can teach yourself SQL, Tableau or PowerBI, since these skills show up a lot in job descriptions, but the BAOR curriculum doesn't cover them.

🔸 Life in Manchester is convenient

Getting around Manchester and everyday amenities are pretty convenient overall. There's a train station right on Oxford Road, so getting to the airport or other cities is quick. From what I've seen, people either go to nearby cities or go to pubs for fun, and there really are a lot of pubs here! I also recommend CHIT’N’CHAAT (an Indian restaurant) and Bruncho. My Indian classmates say the food at the first one tastes close to home, and every dish is pretty good. The second is an affordable and tasty brunch option. Manchester also has several Korean and Chinese supermarkets, so it's easy to satisfy an Asian appetite!

🔸 Dwell MSV

I chose a Bronze Studio at Dwell MSV, which is off campus, and I personally recommend it. It's especially good for people who like having a space completely to themselves. The kitchen is in the room, but the room is pretty big, so the whole place doesn't end up smelling like food. Taking out the trash is easy too: every floor has more than one trash area, and you can even just leave cardboard boxes outside your door and someone collects them the next day. The front desk is staffed 24 hours, so you can get help right away with anything urgent, and they hold all kinds of events from time to time, like day trips to the Peak District or bowling nights.

🔸 My first solo trip: Switzerland

Of the countries I visited during this time, Switzerland was my favorite. Unlike some European countries where you have to watch out for pickpockets and tourist traps, Switzerland is safe and efficient, and it became the country of my first solo trip. The scenery is so beautiful that I'm willing to forget how expensive it is, and lots of towns are gorgeous, like Zermatt, Interlaken and Grindelwald. I also went paragliding, which I highly recommend if you're not afraid of heights. During the 20 minutes up there, besides being blown away by the views, you feel really calm, and none of your worries feel like worries anymore!

🔸 Put down your phone and take it all in

On trains and other transportation, I often see people reading, doing sudoku or enjoying the view (and not because there's no internet). At meals, people barely look at their phones and focus on talking with each other in the moment! I think it's a great habit. Putting down your phone lets you focus more on your own life, notice the changes around you more deeply, and feel the connection between people. I can't be like them overnight, but every time I see the people around me, it reminds me to put down my phone and take everything in more fully.

🔸 The advantage of working before grad school

I didn't want to keep studying finance in grad school, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to study, so I decided to work first. The biggest benefit of working first is that you know more clearly what you want and what your strengths are. Compared with classmates who go straight from undergrad, you may feel less anxious and lost about the job search. What you learn in BAOR can basically be applied to any industry, so if you already have knowledge of a particular industry, it may give you more of an edge when job hunting.

Personally, after going back to being a student, I have a lot more free time to fill with anything I want to learn or with travel. Compared with working, the load of student life is still lighter.

🔸 A few words for everyone

If you've never lived abroad for long, this year will be an amazing experience. From daily life to classes to traveling in your free time, you're being stimulated pretty much all the time. Some of it is good and some of it is bad, but it's all a very special experience. Everyone's reasons for coming here to study are a bit different, so I hope that while you take in all kinds of activities and culture shock, you also keep moving steadily toward your goals!

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