Thushari's career change
Thushari from Sri Lanka had worked in the Finance Department at Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC for nearly 20 years before she decided to change her career and pursue a master's in human resource management. She studied our MSc in Human Resource Management and Development through our partner the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management in Colombo. Find out what Thushari says about her experience and career path since her studies.
A change in career
I had worked in the finance industry for over 20 years when unexpectedly, the senior management of my company offered me a senior role in the Human Resources Department. I willingly accepted the position, as I am the type of person who likes to take up challenges in life!
Due to the change in my career direction, I wanted to develop as much knowledge and skills in human resource management as I had in the field of finance. So, I decided to study for a postgraduate degree in human resources management.
I chose Salford because it’s partnered with the Charted Institute of Personnel Management in Sri Lanka and, as such, is a well-recognised university world-wide and a prestige programme. I was also recommended to take the course by the Sri Lankan Institute and by graduates from the programme.
Gaining confidence in public speaking and project management
The subjects I studied for the postgraduate course sharpened my skills in my present job role. Now I am really confident in planning and implementing projects such as the recruitment of large batches of junior staff, annual performance cycles and annual promotion cycles. I have been successful in completing each project on time.
On the course, I gained exposure through presenting group assignments, which has improved my presentation skills and I am now more confident in public speaking.
As an international student, I also found that by completing many assignments including the final research, my writing skills have improved drastically, and I find it easier to write reports more professionally.
Developing a wider network and problem-solving abilities
During my studies, I learnt a lot through working with different people who had varying backgrounds and vast knowledge about the relevant subject areas.
In addition, the sharing of ideas between the group members and interacting with them enabled me to strengthen my network.
I really enjoyed the final research project as I greatly enhanced my knowledge through reading. I also got a lot of satisfaction from identifying a problem in an organization and getting the opportunity to analyze it using a statistical model, finding out possible solutions and finally giving recommendations. It was truly a great experience!