Melissa Crumpton: BSc Economics with a Year in Industry

After taking a gap year and initially deciding against university, Melissa chose to study BSc Economics at the University of Liverpool Management School. Since then, she has embraced new opportunities, developed her confidence, and secured a Year in Industry placement with Cooper Parry's Private Business Audit team.

Why did you choose to study at the University of Liverpool Management School?

Honestly, I was never planning on going to university. I finished sixth form, took a gap year, and had no idea what to do at the end of it. After some research, I changed my mind and decided I would like to go to uni.

I applied to Liverpool without knowing a huge amount about the city. It may have been a last-minute decision for me, but I could not praise the Management School enough.

Everyone is super friendly; there is lots of support and opportunities available for everyone. I genuinely love studying here, and I feel as though I couldn’t have made a better decision for myself.

Why did you want to study BSc Economics?

I chose to study BSc Economics as it is such an interesting subject with real-world relevance. Lots of people assume it’s just about money, but there’s so much more to it.

Economics is the study of choices and decision-making, learning how people allocate scarce resources to try to satisfy unlimited wants. It helps you to understand aspects of everyday life, like why prices rise and interest rates change.

Since the subject is so broad, it keeps options open for careers too. I especially like that the University of Liverpool has a wide range of optional modules and pathways, so you can tailor what you study to suit your preferences.

Where are you going to be spending your Year in Industry placement?

I’ll be spending my placement at Cooper Parry in their Birmingham office, as part of their Private Business Audit team.

This placement will include reviewing financial documents, assisting in the preparation of financial reports, engaging with clients to understand their systems, and contributing to audit testing.

Cooper Parry is a very innovative and unique firm, so I’m excited to get started. It’s a great opportunity to be able to have 12 months of corporate work experience before I graduate!

What skills have you developed?

Academically, my critical-thinking and analytical skills have developed greatly since being at university. I think it’s important to be able to evaluate different perspectives and opinions and form your own judgements.

Also, with the maths and finance modules I have taken, I have noticed a huge improvement in my numerical abilities. BSc Economics builds on A-Level maths content and links it closely to economic scenarios. It’s fascinating to see how the maths that seemed so vague at A-Level can have such significant economic applications.

Another skill I am proud of developing is public speaking. I became a student ambassador in my first-year, which gave me the opportunity to help at various events such as open days. Here I had the chance to talk in front of large audiences, which had always seemed quite daunting, and was something I had never done before.

What support and extra opportunities have you accessed to help you with your studies?

As placements are highly competitive, I utilised a lot of the university's Year in Industry support when searching for a placement.

This included going to careers and alumni nights, where I heard from current and former placement students about their experiences and advice.

I have also been to the Year in Industry workshops and drop-in sessions, and ULMS Extra events. If you are interested in doing a Year in Industry, I’d recommend making the most of the employability module in the second semester of first year, as this was extremely useful for developing skills for finding a placement.

What have you enjoyed most about your student experience?

I’ve enjoyed pushing myself out of my comfort zone and saying yes to everything. There are so many opportunities at university to try things you have never done before, whether it’s joining a new society, becoming a course representative, or volunteering.

I’ve also enjoyed the independence and freedom that come with being a student. Lectures and seminars take up about 10-12 hours a week, so I love being able to decide how I spend the rest of my time.

What have you enjoyed most about living as a student in Liverpool?

I’d say my favourite part of living in Liverpool is the variety of things to do here.

Liverpool has everything: shopping in Liverpool One, the Albert Dock, Sefton Park, museums, amazing restaurants, good nightlife, and an airport. There are also loads of great days out nearby: the beach is a 20-minute train ride away; then there’s also the Lake District, North Wales, Chester, and Manchester.

I also love Liverpool as I’ve always felt very safe here; everyone is friendly, and it's such a walkable city, which makes it a great place to be a student.

What are your future career goals?

I don’t know exactly, and that’s okay! I love my degree and would love a career in something related to economics or finance, but there are so many job roles within these industries.

I want to explore until I find something that feels right for me. I think sometimes students feel pressured to have their life figured out, but you change so much whilst at university and sometimes your preferences do too.

I don’t want to focus so much on one goal, closing myself off to exploring other ideas and opportunities that I may not have known about before.

Currently, I’m enjoying learning about the different options available to me by going to career fairs, alumni nights, and networking events. I’m excited for my placement in audit, which will give me a good idea whether that is a career I’d like to pursue.