My #MountbattenLife

Amanda Bunch - London

Amanda was looking for a challenging new role, a chance to gain her Masters degree and lots of adventure when she arrived in London in March 2018.

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Name: Amanda Bunch
From: Texas, United States
Mountbatten Program: London, March 2018 - March 2019
Academic program: MA in Entrepreneurial Management
Host organization: Thomson Reuters

My #MountbattenLife has been the most challenging and rewarding experience that has shifted my outlook on life, work, and people, but most importantly, it has taught me to embrace change, culture and opportunity.


My family had never travelled much but I wanted to see the world

I was set to graduate in December 2017 and I was actively seeking full-time jobs throughout that last semester. I found myself excited to apply to jobs with companies I admired, but in cities I'd never even visited. First it started with other areas in Texas besides Austin, then outside of Texas, then before I knew it, I was searching for jobs abroad!

My family had never travelled much, but I've always wanted to see the world. I did not want to settle into a full-time role that would have locked me to one location for the rest of my life. I had such a strong desire to be outside of my comfort zone, try something entirely new, and it excited me to move somewhere different by myself.

The Mountbatten Program almost seemed too good to be true

I had thought of pursuing a Master's degree, but the idea of solely staying in education for two more years just did not appeal to me. When I stumbled upon the Mountbatten Program, it seemed a little too good to be true: a Master’s degree, a placement with a multinational company, and getting to live in London for an entire year! I had always liked the idea of living in the UK, but never really knew it would be possible and having Europe on my doorstep was a dream of mine. Although I was still applying to full time jobs when I found out about the Program, I sensed that those jobs just would not satisfy me.

I felt very passionate about what the Program had to offer, and to be honest, it just felt right. I went all in for this experience which was equally nerve wracking as it was exhilirating.

Landing my placement at Thomson Reuters

When Mountbatten told me I had an interview request from one of their host organizations, I was beyond excited. It seemed like I'd been waiting forever, and this was the first real step that made London seem to be within reach.

The placement description seemed like my professional life and education had led me directly to it. On my interview date I was very nervous, but it all felt like it was meant to be. My interview was quite relaxed and we had a great conversation, which put me at ease. I was told I would hear back by the end of the week, but received my placement offer only thirty minutes after my interview had ended. I was thrilled!

I am placed with Thomson Reuters in their Finance and Risk sector as a Digital Specialist in the Digital Marketing team. My responsibilities here lie with the new site, content migration, digital asset management, and making sure the customer facing product information and messaging makes for an optimal customer experience. Of course, there are a lot of people involved in this process which makes for a lot of teamwork and cross-continental communication to get these projects done.

I am seeing so much more than just London

Since arriving in London I constantly find myself taking a step back and reminding myself how awesome it is to even be here experiencing all of this. The ability to travel Europe whilst doing so, has to be the most incredible of all of them though. There is a real cultural difference in how the UK takes advantage of their vacation days versus the US. There are many bank holidays throughout the year which allow for long weekends, but there is also a lot of annual leave available to you. I’ve really galvanized these opportunities and so far have travelled to Edinburgh, Warsaw, Stockholm, and Amsterdam. To be able to take a weekend trip to the Netherlands is just amazing to me. I am seeing so much more than just London, and I've met so many fantastic people along the way.

My advice for future Mountbatten Trainees

Go all in! Like all things, if you go into it with a positive outlook and passion, it is guaranteed to be rewarding in one way or another. The process of getting here does demand a lot of hope and optimism out of you, but once you get settled, you will be so glad you went for it. It truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity that opens a lot of doors for you, connects you with lifelong friends, and allows you to really explore.

Want to know more about my #MountbattenLife in London? Have questions about the Mountbatten Program? You can contact me on LinkedIn.