Oskar Grodnicki from Legnica in Poland is a BA (Hons) Events Management and MSc International Management & Leadership graduate from QMU.
Oskar moved from Poland to live and study in Edinburgh nine years ago. He chose to study in Scotland because it was always his aspiration and ambition to be able to complete his higher education in a different country.
At the time, QMU had just moved to its purpose built campus in Musselburgh and was offering many new courses, including Event Management.
In September 2016, Oskar won the Wedding Coordinator category prize at the Scottish Vows Awards. In November 2017, Oskar is aiming to repeat his success of 2016, having been shortlisted in the same category for the second year running.
Oskar has also been shortlisted for the title of Wedding Planner of the Year 2018 as part of the People of Excellence category at the Scottish Hotel Awards.
Why did to decide to study at QMU?
“I thought that everything about QMU was exciting, including the world-class facilities and the internationally-recognised quality of its events courses.
“My aim in taking on the MSc International Management and Leadership at QMU was to open my career horizons and gain a better understanding of the professional career paths available to me following a postgraduate course.”
How do you think your studies at QMU has equipped you with the knowledge and skills to progress your career?
“What was really quite beneficial within this course was the variety of industry case studies available that provided insight into the events sector. We also got the opportunity to take part in visits to businesses across Scotland that have international markets.
“Having been part of a very international class, which included students from 16 different countries, I got the opportunity to exchange cultural insights and knowledge too.
“I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and skills through the non-for-profit projects we had to carry out and scrutinise in place of a traditional written dissertation. This contact with real life organisations and their stakeholders taught us a very important lesson of working independently, reliably and strategically.”
Did you receive any support ion your course?
“The support, supervision and advice I was offered by my project supervisors was immense and key to the success of my studies and the start of my career. The passion that academic staff at QMU have for their profession is still to this day very infectious to me.”
What advice would you offer to future students based on your own personal experience at QMU?
“As a word of advice to the prospective candidates for MSc International Management and Leadership at QMU, I’d like to say, be prepared and organised, have a plan and do research for your final project well ahead of the start of the course. This will allow you to stay on top of your standard course work and achieve your set of goals and milestones in a timely manner without getting too stressed. Having to come up with a project aim during the course has proved very difficult to many in the past.”
What have to been doing since graduating from QMU?
“Immediately after completing my postgraduate course at QMU, I was offered my first full time management job in managing operations at an event venue. Exactly one year after, I progressed to my first job in wedding planning and never looked back since.
“I now work alongside my Group Wedding Director as a Wedding Guru for the Principal Hotel Company in Edinburgh. I’m currently working on a project creating a regional wedding development role for myself, which focuses on regional public relations and marketing strategies, as well as training and development of our wedding coordinators and wedding venues across Scotland and the north of England.
“Looking back, I stun myself with where I am just now as I don’t think I would have imagine myself in this place a few years ago. It’s been a lot of hard work and devotion, but I wouldn’t change a thing at all, because you reap what you sow!”
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"“I thought that everything about QMU was exciting, including the world-class facilities and the internationally-recognised quality of its events courses. “My aim in taking on the MSc International Management and Leadership at QMU was to open my career horizons and gain a better understanding of the professional career paths available to me following a postgraduate course.”"
