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As time went on through my veterinary and business career, and with the success of our growing practice, my interest in doing an MBA was fueled with a visit to an MBA event in London and MBA open evenings at the UEA.
How was I feeling about going back to university, 20½ years after I had last been?
Getting back into the routine of learning, reading and studying came back relatively quickly, I think due to 1) the ways the initial modules on the MBA are organised, 2) the fact that the subject matter did stimulate my learning appetite and 3) I was investing my own money and my family’s time into this project, so I owed it to our family to make the most of everything on offer. As a result of the enjoyment in starting to learn again, so the realisation that I, as a mature student with a number of years work of behind me, brought a lot of knowledge and experience into the lecture room, which not only helped me reconcile my previously considered inadequacies but also, I think helped our cohort. Not being afraid to open up to previous experiences or answer questions, without being concerned whether it is the right answer, helps both the cohort in sharing their experiences and sometimes the lecturer in getting a response from the group!!
Why would you study an MBA as a mature student?
For me, it was for a number of reasons. I wanted to do it but also realising the opportunity presented to me, in respect to a potential gap in my career, was another thing. Taking a break/sabbatical away from a career and leaving the safety net of work can be daunting but very quickly for me it became invigorating. At the start of my studies, I presumed that I would return back to my day (and night) job as a clinical vet and many of my fellow MBA colleagues are returning to their previous jobs. However, I soon realised that the MBA could be a ticket to anything that I wanted and that I wanted a job where I could utilise the skills I had learnt. The course and modules taught at the UEA open up the possibilities for future employment. I am returning to the veterinary profession but in a purely managerial-role so I can put what I have learnt into practice. But studying as a mature student can be just for a career break, an opportunity to look for something completely different or to facilitate a change in your current career, and you may come in thinking one thing only for that idea to change quite dramatically.