From Teaching to Economics: How Ameen found the right path with LSBU
When Ameen (BSc Economics) started university, they planned to become a teacher. However, new experiences, opportunities and a growing interest in economics encouraged them to rethink their future. Through personal development, practical assessments and a willingness to embrace change, Ameen developed the confidence, analytical skills and adaptability needed to pursue a new career path.
Before completing your Personal Development Programme (PDP), what challenges were you facing as a student?
Although I completed my PDP during my undergraduate degree, my journey since then has differed significantly from what I originally envisioned.
At the time, I intended to pursue a career in teaching, but as I gained new experiences and opportunities, I found myself increasingly drawn towards the corporate and professional world. Rather than seeing this as a failure to follow my original plan, the PDP taught me the value of having direction while remaining adaptable.
Life does not always follow a predetermined path, and my experiences have shown me that personal development is just as much about responding to new opportunities as it is about achieving goals you set years earlier. This has made me more confident in my decision-making and more comfortable with allowing my ambitions to evolve.
Have you noticed any changes to your course that were made in response to student feedback? Did seeing feedback acted on make you feel more engaged with your course?
Changes made in response to student feedback have had a positive impact on my learning experience.
When lecturers respond to feedback by adapting teaching methods, providing greater clarity or introducing more engaging approaches, it creates a more supportive learning environment. I have found that this makes it easier to engage with challenging material, ask questions and contribute to discussions.
Most importantly, seeing feedback translated into genuine changes demonstrated that student perspectives are valued and encouraged me to engage more actively with my course.
My advice would be not to view assessments simply as something that needs to be completed to achieve a grade.
Tell us about assessments that felt relevant to the type of work you'll do in your career
Microeconomics and Macroeconomics assessments were particularly valuable because they allowed me to understand both the theoretical and practical ways in which economies behave.
Rather than simply learning economic concepts, I was required to apply them to understand how individuals, firms, governments and wider economies respond to different circumstances and shocks. This developed my analytical and problem-solving skills and taught me to consider how changes in one area can produce wider consequences elsewhere.
Professionally, this has helped me approach problems more systematically, anticipate likely outcomes and make more informed judgements rather than simply reacting to events as they occur.
How has this assessment helped prepare you for employment?
My university assessments and projects prepared me for employment in ways that extend beyond the academic knowledge I gained.
Meeting demanding deadlines, managing competing priorities and completing challenging pieces of work taught me the importance of preparation, hard work, perseverance and resilience.
These experiences helped me develop discipline and confidence in my abilities. They continue to influence how I approach challenges in my professional life today and have helped me continue developing even when faced with setbacks or unfamiliar situations.
What advice would you give current students about making the most of these opportunities?
My advice would be not to view assessments simply as something that needs to be completed to achieve a grade.
The process itself develops valuable professional skills, including working under pressure, managing your time, conducting research, communicating ideas clearly and persevering when something is difficult.
Taking those opportunities seriously can prepare you for the realities of employment just as much as the subject knowledge itself.