Alumni

Jack Sutcliffe

Career Path: CEO, Power Sheds
Location: Bradford, UK

After graduating I worked for a large garden building manufacturer growing their ecommerce side of the business. After 11 years I left to set up a new company manufacturing and selling garden sheds across the UK. I have used the skills I learnt from the course to give me the confidence to go on my own and create something new in the gardening industry.

What are you doing now?

I am the Co-Founder and CEO of Power Sheds, a manufacturer and supplier of wooden garden sheds which are supplied throughout the UK.

What was it about Northumbria that made you decide to study here?

After completing my undergraduate degree I wanted to stay in the area and the course of Business & Management at a reputable Business School appealed to me mostly as it's exactly what I wanted to do in my career.

What was it like studying at Northumbria?

The location is great - so close to the centre of the city. There were a number of lectures from small to large and there was time in between lessons for much needed library study time. The library was the ideal place to work no distractions.

How connected was your course with industry?

A lot of the course material was based around real world examples. It was only a year long but we covered so many different things on the course and I still use many of the things I learnt today.

How did studying at Northumbria help you achieve your career goals/ give your career an edge?

The skills learnt whilst on my course got me my job. Had I not been doing a masters in Business & Management, I would have not have had the opportunity to write a feasibility study and certainly not been offered my current work position based upon my University work.

What was the best thing about your course?

The group of people I studied with were fantastic, particularly at a masters level. Everyone worked really hard which encouraged me to stay focused on the coursework and exam preparation, nobody on the course would allow you to lose focus and we all got along really well and kept pushing each other to do our best.

Which skills/ knowledge did you learn on your course that you use most now throughout your career?

There was a module on 'analysis and developing self' - even though I learnt so much on my course this module made me appreciate that the learning would not stop when the course ended. It is important that I continue to analyse myself and continue to learn, develop and improve throughout my career to progress.

What did you enjoy most about your time at Northumbria University?

I enjoyed graduating the most - it made all that hard work worth it. Seeing all your friends on graduation day and your family being there is a proud moment that you will never forget. My graduation picture and certificate still hangs on my parent's living room wall today.

What advice would you give somebody who is thinking of studying at Northumbria?

The facilities are great and the location is even better. I always think it's important to get the work/life balance right, Northumbria is the perfect place to allow you the opportunity to work hard but have fun at the same time.