Aston University graduate excels as a policy adviser within her local community
Hi, my name is Rachel Appiah and I studied BSc (Hons) Business Management and English Language at Aston University.
When I graduated, I worked as a Data Analyst in an insurance firm. I had worked in insurance previously during my placement year, I had gathered a lot of skills and knowledge.
Then I decided that I wanted a career change. I wanted something more stretching, rewarding, and high profile as well. So, I decided to join the policy profession, where I worked in the Civil Service. My first role that I took up was at the Ministry of Justice as a Policy Adviser, where I worked on prison reform policy.
In December, I was promoted, and now I work as a Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. My day-to-day role entails building and developing a relationship with the local community and stakeholders and ultimately taking their views, their concerns and feeding them up to senior officials so that it can influence policy decisions.
Why Aston University?
I decided to study at Aston University because it's highly credible for business. It was a highly ranked university.
For me, I was so interested in going to a university that have experts in their field that I can draw from their knowledge and skills and apply that to my future career.
How did studying at Aston University help your career?
I didn’t know what I wanted to do before I left university, so to be here, working in the Civil Service on a high-profile case that is on the news as well. It’s stretching, it’s making me grow, and I think seeing the impact that this is having on peoples’ everyday lives is amazing.
I’ve taken many things from Aston University that have helped me in my career. I think it’s been really beneficial for me to understand how people work, their different personality traits, and ultimately tailoring my communications to different people.
I think being able to independently do your assignments and work on your project is a skill that university teaches you. You ultimately bring that to the workplace by taking initiative and leading on projects.
The campus life, everybody knew each other, everybody was social, everybody was friendly because ultimately we were all students. A lot of the people on the campus weren’t from Birmingham too so I guess that made people bond and gel together.
Rachel commented:
I’m so glad that I went to Aston University. I have met amazing people, had amazing opportunities that I don’t think I would have got anywhere else.
I think it has been testament to my growth and development that I have made.
