From Formula 1 Engineer to Strategy Consultant, Paul embarked on his MBA in 2018 with the ambition of moving from an operational role to a strategic role and that is exactly what he has achieved.

What did you do before starting your MBA?

I was an Aerodynamics Design Engineer in Formula 1. My role was focused on the design of the car and planning of aerodynamic sessions. 

What prompted you to study an MBA?

It was prompted by a number of things, I wanted to move away from an engineering role and push towards a role in consulting, specifically strategy consulting. I was also planning on moving countries and I felt an MBA would give me the best chance at the career move I was looking to achieve.

How have the CareersPlus team supported you?

Through the one-to-one sessions, my careers coach helped me to realise that I had a lot of transferable skills from motorsport into a role in strategy consulting; skills such as making data driven decisions and being able to describe highly complex systems in a simplified and clear format, as well as being able to work under extreme pressure and time constraints to meet deadlines. The CareersPlus workshop on interview skills, presentation skills and teamwork were also an excellent way to discover these transferable skills through the feedback given. The biggest thing that helped me was the push to utilise the hidden job market - I was referred into my current role through an old friend on LinkedIn.

Post-MBA, have you realised your career aspirations?

I am now a Senior Strategy Consultant with PwC Ireland. I work with large companies in solving some of their biggest challenges. It’s been one of the best decisions moving into this role, and WBS helped guide me on that path. I don’t think I could be where I am now without my MBA and most importantly the support from WBS including the CareersPlus team.