David Stark

What appealed to you about Northumbria University / studying in Newcastle?

Northumbria was a local university which allowed me to study from home.

What did you like most about the course?

The teaching was very good quality and the lecturers were very approachable.

What did you do after you graduated?

I worked for two years for a fine chemical manufacture before joining International Paint (Akzo Nobel) in Gateshead. Following ten years of research I have recently moved to a development role within the business managing a new lab based in Singapore.

What does your job role involve?

Management of development lab projects and facilities, including management of site function ensuring health and safety and legal compliance.

Briefly tell us about your typical working day.

Management of lab facilities and team activities ensuring that the day-to-day lab activities can run smoothly following agreed procedures and giving technical input and direction to project activities.

How did your degree at Northumbria benefit your degree?

The inclusion of a year placement within my degree gave me a good head start and assisted me in getting my first job.