My plan to study for a higher degree in management and then to centre my career in this field is the result of many years’ experience in the workplace and the realisation that my professional progress is likely to depend at some point on developing the skills specific to managing people, departments and larger organisations.  I am applying as mature student who has worked in a variety of posts as a systems engineer, often carrying considerable personal and professional responsibility.  I have worked in a number of countries and I am convinced that this multi-cultural experience will be a great asset in my planned career.  I also have a number of languages, English, Chinese, Cantonese, as well as some French – again a very valuable set of skills in an increasingly international marketplace.  My experience has enabled me to become a good team player and a clear-sighted leader, as well as giving me the maturity and confidence to trust my own judgement and take responsibility for my own decisions.  Many areas of management interest me, general management, project management, human resources and security, and, indeed, it is the variety of career options in this field which really attracts me.  To be able to hold a highly respected position in a major organisation is a very satisfying and rewarding prospect. I appreciate that the efficient manager must deal daily with a complex set of economic, financial, legal and human issues, and that his or her response to these issues can have a powerful impact on the lives of those who are managed and on the organisation under the manager’s control. The manager needs to be able to set standards and priorities and have the judgement to be able to delegate work and responsibility to staff while offering them the support they need to be able to fulfil their allocated tasks successfully.  I am interested in the essential areas of knowledge the manager needs to master, organisational behaviour, the way human resources are managed, marketing and business strategy.

My career so far as a systems engineer has given me insight into a number of large businesses.  At present I work for BAE as a test engineer, producing reports on systems in communication management.  At Thales, prior to that, I worked on the software requirements for flight simulators.  I worked on the development of mobile communication systems in the Asia pacific area, and in other posts I have been involved in the design and integration of software in banking systems, an examination marking system, and dealt with various other complex engineering challenges.  All of these roles have called for great professional commitment, determination and highly evolved technical ability, all of which has given me a clear sense of the demands of present-day commercial practice and the need for clear control and planning.  I attended a three-day course in management leadership while working for one international company, and this convinced me that my way forward lay in this direction.  The international dimension of management is particularly interesting to me, and I believe I have the necessary skills to support this. I also have a strong interest in international security as a management issue and suspect that this is an area which is likely to become increasingly important.

I held leadership positions at high school, as president of the Science Society and treasurer of the Maths Society, sure evidence of my natural ability as a manager.  I am also interested in sports, particularly canoeing, tennis and swimming, and I enjoy travel and music.  I am extremely adaptable and feel no apprehension about technical change.  My mathematical thinking is strong and I have good problem-solving abilities. I am generally well-organised and blessed with real powers of self discipline.  I can offer my total commitment to a degree course and to my chosen career, and I hope you will consider my application,

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