Coming from Morocco, Omar was first attracted to UWL because of its welcoming attitude to international students, and the diverse range of courses on offer. 

Settling on Finance and Accounting, Omar moved to London to pursue his education. 

When I moved to London, that was the start of my adulthood. I was alone in a big city, but I immediately felt at home. Though on my first day, I nearly got hit by a car because I looked in the wrong direction. But that was a nice way of reminding me that I was in a brand new place, so I should pay attention and look after myself.” 

When he got to UWL, Omar threw himself into making friends and getting involved in university life, from acting as a student ambassador to organising on-campus events. Omar also held down a number of parttime jobs while studying. And while he doesn’t work directly in finance, he does think he learned a lot of useful skills from his degree. 

Yes, I studied finance, and there’s no relationship between what I do now and what I studied. But I’m not scared when I see numbers related to my business. I can make financial decisions, and understand their implications.” 

One day, when attending a career fair at UWL, Omar secured himself a job working at a cybersecurity company. Starting as an entry-level analyst he rose to Director of Client Services, even returning to UWL years later to recruit students at the very same careers fair. 

At the same time, Omar was running a travel blog and studying for his Masters in politics, but he always wanted to nurture his entrepreneurial instincts. 

I always wanted to do something that was mine. I grew up in Morocco and wanted to create something that was connected to my roots. I was looking for opportunities, and remembered this Moroccan spirit that just isn’t available here.”