The BSB Futures programme at The British School of Brussels is an award-winning career programme, introducing our Year 12 and 13 students to professionals from a myriad of sectors through presentations, workshops and discussions. Whenever possible, the BSB Futures team invites former students to return to BSB to speak about their own journeys through higher education and into the world of work to give our current cohort a relatable connection between school and employment.
During February’s BSB Futures sessions on Careers in Law, Military and Government, one such alumnus – Nikita Rajkumar, a graduate from the Class of 2019 – spoke to our students on the topic of Financial Law and her journey to becoming an Investment Banking Legal Analyst with Goldman Sachs. She was also kind enough to talk to us about how her time at BSB shaped her career decisions and how it felt to give something back to the school community.
Nikita emphasised how her studies and teachers at BSB prepared her for her career. “I strongly believe that studying a breadth of subjects throughout my time at BSB prepared me extremely well for university and the world of work,” she said.
Drawing on her experience, Nikita highlighted the importance of skills gained at BSB. “One of the most important skills I learned at BSB is working with people of different backgrounds. Every day, I work with people from all different walks of life, and therefore different perspectives and approaches. BSB, similarly, is home to students from international backgrounds who each bring their own perspectives. Learning how to work and empathise with people, and finding a balance between listening to opinions that may be contradictory to mine whilst maintaining my own voice was developed in the BSB ecosystem.”
“My education at BSB also equipped me with skills essential for my role, from mathematical proficiency to soft skills like leadership and creativity,” she added.
“I chose to undertake the International Baccalaureate which enabled me to continue developing my knowledge across a range of subjects. As a result, I was able to build a good foundation in Maths and my language skills which serve me well in my day-to-day role. My teachers continued to push and challenge me throughout my time at BSB, including spending extra time going over content that was beyond the curriculum. They truly went above and beyond in encouraging me – their belief in me was vital during the application process for a highly competitive course at selective universities. They never once let me think that I could not achieve what I put my mind to. Without their encouragement, the process would have been much more challenging.”
“BSB offers an incredible number of opportunities to develop your soft skills – from presenting and public speaking, experiencing teamwork and leadership, to developing your creativity and learning self-motivation,” Nikita added. “Each and every one of these skills helps not only equips you to tackle a vast array of challenges head-on but also to distinguish yourself from other individuals. People I encounter are sometimes in awe of the breadth of my educational experience – and BSB is almost wholly responsible for that.”
Nikita is delighted to be able to give back and share her experiences with current students at BSB. Offering advice to aspiring students, Nikita emphasised resilience and authenticity. “Success in competitive fields like financial law requires resilience,” she said. “Be prepared to put in the effort but know that this may not always be enough, and that failure is a big part of achieving success in the future. This is definitely easier said than done, and I still struggle with this, but if you embrace failure as part of the journey and stay true to yourself, you will find the right role and place for you.”
Motivated to give back, Nikita said she returned to BSB to demystify careers in finance. “There’s a misconception surrounding the finance sector,” she explained. From the outside, it looks like bankers in suits who earn a lot of money from living an easy life. It also makes careers in the sector seem available to only an elite, mostly male, few but this is not the case. I hope to inspire students, particularly girls, to pursue careers in male-dominated industries such as banking.”
“I must admit it feels a bit strange thinking about myself as a potential role model for current students, especially given that I’m not much older than some of them,” Nikita added. “That being said, I feel that it is a privilege to be in a position to guide another individual and to have the ability to share what I’ve learned in my professional career so far; supporting current students is a small way in which I can give back to those who supported me during my time at BSB.”
Nikita emphasised the importance of seizing opportunities at BSB. “Make the most of the opportunities BSB offers,” she said. “They are pivotal in shaping your professional journey,” she concluded, encapsulating the transformative impact of BSB’s holistic education.
For more information on our Futures programme and BSB alumni career journeys, please visit this section of our website.