Tell us about your career journey since you graduated…
After graduation, I consulted with Tintin Technologies Ltd. - a technology start-up - and am currently consulting with Solacexis Solicitors in London. Since December 2018, I have been creating OI, a soft skills and transferable skills training company to up-skill the youth of Bangladesh and India. I have had meetings with the Deputy Minister of Education Bangladesh and other dignitaries to support our initiative and will be travelling to India and Bangladesh in July 2019 to train our first batch in 9 schools. Our aim is for 1400 schools in the Indian subcontinent to incorporate our training program by August 2020.
What does an average day at work involve for you?
It is exciting and challenging with new requirements coming in every week. Currently I have to take lots of international Skype meetings and phone calls to secure new partner schools across the Indian subcontinent. I am also overseeing the development of the curriculum which is tailored for each region.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far?
Being able to travel over 1500km in India and Bangladesh, speaking to students and schools to understand the skill sets they need most help with developing and now being in a position to help facilitate this for them. In the process I was also covered by their local media, which was a pleasant surprise.
How would you say Brunel helped you to get where you are today?
Brunel has taught me all the transferable and life skills needed to take on this challenging journey. It also taught me to dream big and aim for large projects that can help as many people as possible. While at Brunel, I became a believer in spending my energy in developing high impact projects which I will follow for the rest of my life. Finally, being a Law student of Brunel, I was also able to fund my initial trips to India through my legal consultation work. Having a legal background is also very helpful for my venture; OI.
Why did you choose to study at Brunel and why would you recommend Brunel to others?
I chose Brunel because of its proximity to London (as I was a commuter student) and its steady Law School. I would now recommend it mainly for the wide array of support it provides to its students, having seen it first hand as an elected member of the Student Union, and also for the vast amount of opportunities you get while studying here.
What is your best memory of studying here?
The amount of opportunities I received throughout my academic journey which has directly shaped who I am today. For instance, being able to help raise £85,600 in only five weeks in November 2017 to win a Santander Cycle Scheme - which was extremely gratifying - to change the local infrastructure of Uxbridge forever and positively impact the lives of several thousand local commuters and over ten thousand students every year. Also for me it was being able to fight an election and to be elected as the first Indian to hold the post of Vice-President Student Activities; an extremely humbling memory I cherish.
If you could give one piece of advice to new students, what would that be?
Make the most of the opportunities you get at Brunel and try a lot of things in your first year until you find the perfect one/s you want to continue with. There is absolutely nothing you cannot achieve while taking the support provided by the University. You should also explore the Student Union for the 150+ Sports and Societies they have on offer.
What would be your top tip or advice for new graduates as they begin their career journey?
Dream big! There is nothing too big for you to achieve - don't feel shy to shape your own career. In today's world it pays to be different and you no longer need to stick only to the binding structures of traditional career paths. Your experiences at Brunel would have given you a lot of learnings that will take you a long way in life.
Recent success
In 2021, Dev Aditya scooped an award for innovation in international education, winning the PIEoneer Awards International Alumni of the Year.
"It is an incredible feeling when one wins an award as an alumnus of their alma mater,” said Dev Aditya. “I became who I am today because of my time at Brunel University London where I learned the ropes of life, and not just academically. Being awarded as an alumnus of Brunel is one of the more cherished moments of my recent life."
The PIE (Professionals in International Education) is an independent media, recruitment and events company working in international education. Its PIEoneer Awards 2021 awarded 21 winners from seven countries top gongs in a year that saw the sector severely hampered by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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