Alumni Spotlight: Loretta Nana Asiedu
Loreta Nana Asiedu, graduated from the University of West London (UWL) with an MA in International Tourism and Aviation Management just as the aviation industry shut down.
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Before UWL, Loretta studied Business and Spanish. Graduating with a first, she decided to pursue her interest in tourism and aviation and found herself at UWL because it was closer to home.
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Aviation management is essentially business-related skills and knowledge pertaining to the aviation sector, and there’s the language side of things. I love travelling and experiencing different cultures. It was just a perfect transition.”
Loretta found herself fully immersed in life at the University.
I did enjoy my time. It was challenging at times; however, the lecturers were very accommodating. I was one of those students that was literally at my lecturer’s doors all the time because I wanted to ask questions.”
But when Loretta graduated, a global pandemic closed the airports and the industry she’d worked so hard to enter was no longer hiring.
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I was trying to navigate a sector where recruitment had plunged significantly. Fortunately for me, I found a role within the automotive industry - as a CRM Executive (Client Relationship Management). Every day, I continue to grow and learn in the role, which I’m grateful for.”
As a CRM executive, Loretta works extensively with data, leads on email campaigns and builds customer journeys. Though it’s not the area that she initially intended to work in, she credits her degree with leading her there.
You can attend university and study one course, put in all the hard work and gain hard and soft skills but unexpected situations such as Covid can occur. In such situations, one must try to be cool, calm and collected, revisit any current or past experiences and skills they have and use that to their advantage."
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During her studies Loretta found herself a mentor who worked in aviation. She was also determined to bring other students into contact with professionals to help them on their own career journeys.
Out of this grew MentorNect which offers bespoke mentoring opportunities for young adults. MentorNect works with various institutions and is making great strides. Loretta hopes to expand it across the UK and internationally.
You’re speaking to someone who is going to give you true insight into the career and industry you want to pursue. You need someone with the right background, the right experience. That’s the real benefit of having a mentor with us. It is always great to receive advice and hear different people’s perspectives. That’s how great ideas are generated.”
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We asked her what advice she had for students and alumni on tackling big projects like this:
If you’re passionate then you should go for it, after you’ve taken some time to think of the idea, research and develop it. If it doesn’t work out, at least you’ve given it a try. Take your time, follow your passion and just don’t give up. You never know what it’s all going to amount to and the great impact you are going to make in some else’s life and in the society at large.”
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