Information Systems and Management
The increasing importance of information technology to businesses cannot be overestimated. From the smallest to the largest business, ICT now plays a central role in managing and delivering products and services. This is why competent management of information systems is a necessity, and it is the opportunity to learn both the technical and managerial aspects of the field that draws me to this course. By building on my existing skill and knowledge in these areas, this course offers an opportunity to learn the necessary technical skills to manage not only information systems, but also the practical and theoretical skills to manage projects and people within a business context. After a strong performance at GCSE level, I have progressed to A-level study in Applied ICT, Business Studies and Graphic Communication. The study of ICT has laid a strong groundwork in the field, while Business Studies has allowed me to get to grips with key business and management concepts that compliment this technical knowledge. This has inspired my interests in the way in which ICT is used within business and has persuaded me that further study in a field that combines both aspects is a good fit for my skills and aptitude. Graphic Communication has also allowed me to gain knowledge of key areas of business, namely promotion and advertising, and my strong performance earned me a subject award at the Festival of Achievement for the academic year 2010-11.
Learning about business concepts and seeing how they are applied in real life are two very different things. This is why I am very grateful for the opportunity to undertake a summer job at Al-Babtain, a Nissan Dealer, so that I could gain employment experience to compliment my academic knowledge. Through this role I gained awareness of the importance of strong customer relations, salesmanship and strong teamwork. These are the core aspects that ICT systems should ultimately serve and gaining awareness of this from the sales floor has made me determined to ensure that I retain a focus on delivering them, rather than focusing on technical issues exclusively. I was also offered an opportunity to help prepare advertisements for the summer sales campaign, again allowing an opportunity to apply my academic knowledge within a real business context.
I have regularly undertaken work for charity, including working with the Lions Club in Sri Lanka offering tsunami relief, including the distribution of aid, the collection of funds and setting up shelters and amenities, all requiring excellent organisational and teamwork skills. I have continued my charity work into sixth form, and sit on the Charity Committee. Our most recent project was organising and promoting the sale of charity ribbons and organising a bake sale to assist projects in Pakistan. I play an active organisational and leadership role on this committee, as I do on a number of sixth form committees. I am also on the Debate Team, developing my ability to communicate and structure a strong and persuasive argument, and am currently a member of the Robotics Team (Roball), which combines all of these skills with my interests in programming and design. My responsible attitude to leadership has also been recognised by my promotion from Sub-Prefect to Prefect during my time at the school, improving my teamwork and people management skills with each successive level of responsibility I have taken on.
I have proven myself to be a determined and hard working student with a positive attitude to both teamwork and leadership. My strong interests in ICT and its applications for business, as reflected in my studies; extra-curricular activities; and the wide reading I do on these subjects out of school, will ensure that I approach undergraduate study with the same positive commitment. I hope this will ultimately allow me to learn the skills necessary for a career in the field of business information systems and management.
If you are thinking of applying to University in the field of Information Systems and Management, this example personal statement is a good guide.