George took part in our Summer School in the first years it ran,  and has since gone on to have a successful career at EY working as a Partner in the Strategy and Transactions team. George shared with us his memories from the programme, the people he met, and how it shaped his journey beyond school – as well as an insight into his current role.

Tell us a little bit about your background…

“Outside of study, i loved being with friends, mountain biking and generally being outdoors. Growing up in Bristol there was a great music scene around too – at sixth form we were all trying to find the latest music to show off with. Me and some friends were really into Drum n Bass and Dj’ing – and I spent hours listening to music whilst doing my homework!”

Can you tell us what you remember about your programme? What stands out?

“I attended the Sutton Trust Summer School programme at Bristol University in 1999, held over the summer.. it was a great opportunity to experience a week living in halls and experiencing lectures, nights out and all the fun bits of university life, and I met some great people, some of whom I actually went on to see again when I went to university that following year.”

Did you know what you wanted to do for a career before university?

“I certainly never thought I would work for an accountancy firm! I think I expected to be a journalist or a writer, or at least something that involved working with people and communicating. Either that or a famous DJ! I went on to University of Exeter and studied Mathematics, Statistics and Operational Research (Bsc Hons). Funnily enough the career path I’ve chosen still relies on those people and communication skills.”

What skills and qualities are important for your area of work? 

“I think definitely a good grasp of numbers and maths is an important skill, plus a sense of curiosity and an ability to understand a business quickly and understand its strengths and weaknesses. Being able to explain and write about complex problems clearly and simply is crucial, and an ability to build good working relationships is essential too. The job can be very intense and people can get very stressed under pressure, so a cool head and a sense of empathy for people are key traits for anyone in my line of work.”

Any other reflections you’d like to share from your Trust programme, or advice for your younger self?

“The experience gave me confidence that student life was for me – it made me braver about meeting people and making friends when I started university and I enjoyed the lectures and facilities at Bristol University – a huge change from the school environment I had been so used to. Taking part in the programme made a big difference to me hitting the ground running when I went on to university and undoubtedly helped me gain so much from my time there.

To students now or to my younger self I would say don’t overthink your career choices – if you enjoy what you’re doing it will be much easier to do well and succeed. I never set out at school to do what I do now, it was a journey which involved me taking lots of small steps and following what I enjoyed doing. The world of work is huge and it’s impossible to know exactly where and how you will end up – I’d go back and tell young George to relax, stop worrying about what his life would be and to just enjoy the journey. It will always work out in the end.“

If, like George, you’d like to share your story with us – please get in touch with the alumni team via [email protected].