Jonas Dahl

Country of origin: Germany

Trainee IT Business Analyst, Leyland Trucks (PACCAR)

I really liked the structure of the course, and the modules offered corresponded strongly to my interests and career goals. The modules in the MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management and other Management Science courses are highly practice-oriented and involve many quantitative skills that are much sought after in the job market. Especially, the client project that makes up most of the third term is an outstanding opportunity for international students to gain work experience in the UK. Finally, both the specific course and Lancaster University in general rank highly for international rankings.

Many modules were divided into lectures, seminars and lab sessions which made it easier to apply the knowledge and develop practical skills based on the theory. I never missed a lecture, as the quality of teaching was very high and the lectures and sessions were very helpful in preparation for exams and coursework. I not only enjoyed the team and project work but I also think that I will benefit a lot from the experience and management skills I gained through them. Obviously, the client project which I did for Jaguar Land Rover was a fantastic experience and is a great addition to my CV.

I participated in several societies such as the Film Society and the Chinese Café, where I was able to practice my basic knowledge of Mandarin Chinese with native speakers and discuss the differences between the Chinese and English cultures. Also, I was active as a German teacher in the Culture Society, for which I prepared several classes on German language and culture. I really enjoyed the cultural diversity and social events at Lancaster University.

I did a 12-week placement at Jaguar Land Rover in Solihull (West-Midlands) on Launch Budget Estimation. I analysed the company’s budgeting processes and historical data to develop a tool to help better estimate and control their multi-million budgets for the launch of new models. Thanks to my modules at LUMS I was able to apply my skills in spreadsheet modelling, regression analysis and process analysis to the problem, which was highly appreciated by the Manager who led the project as well as other employees who were involved.

The project was an outstanding opportunity for me to gain working experience in the UK with a world-class company and to apply the sophisticated techniques I learnt at Lancaster University to a real world problem, making a real impact. It was also an important experience in terms of project management, which showed me where the real challenges of a data analysis project tend to be and how to tackle them.

I had an exciting, challenging and enjoyable year at Lancaster University which really went by too fast. I learnt a lot of valuable technical, academic and social skills from my courses, as well as from my daily life at Lancaster. It was a fantastic experience to be friends with many of my classmates who were from all around the world, and we spent a lot of time on group projects, studying together and social activities whenever we could.

The LUMS Careers Team offered great career support with the numerous events held at LUMS, which enabled us to make contact with potential employers throughout the year. In particular, the trip to the job fair in Manchester was a great experience, which at that time gave me a useful insight into the UK’s job market and job application processes.

I feel that Lancaster has given me not only an excellent qualification and great opportunities in the job market, but also a fantastic and memorable year.

I was able to land a job at Leyland Trucks (Paccar), an international truck manufacturer which we visited as part of my Supply Chain Management course at Lancaster. This was certainly helpful for my application, as I was able to benefit from my prior knowledge of the company. In my graduate role, I can apply my knowledge of supply chain management concepts as well as the technical skills in statistics and forecasting that I acquired during my Master’s at Lancaster. Studying at Lancaster University has definitely helped me land an attractive job in the UK, which corresponds to my interests and allows me to apply the skills I acquired throughout my studies.