Neil’s a Master of Business

Neil Atkinson wanted to gain more knowledge of a range of business areas. So he enrolled on the University of Teesside’s part-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. The move has paid off, as Neil will receive his MBA with distinction today and the Day and Zimmerman Award.

Neil, 34, from Billingham, works as a Senior Finance Manager for Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust (PCT). He has worked in NHS financial roles for nine years, previously with North Tees and Hartlepool and County Durham and Darlington Trusts. Neil applied for Teesside's MBA as he wanted to acquire knowledge of different business disciplines, such as Information Technology and Marketing.

Neil said: "I wanted to broaden my knowledge so I could see where finance fits into the strategic structure of an organisation. The MBA has given me other points of view and I've a greater appreciation of other areas within the PCT. I particularly enjoyed the Marketing modules. I hadn't had much experience of this area before and it's a fascinating subject in its own right. The PCT were so supportive during the MBA, paying for 75 per cent of the fees and giving me time off to study."

In addition to the academic content, Neil also enjoyed meeting MBA students from diverse backgrounds. Neil said: "There was a wide range of people on the degree from both the public and private sector. In classroom discussions it was interesting to hear their opinions and see how they would approach different situations. The course had a real camaraderie; I'm going to keep in touch with my fellow students.

"The degree was a lot of hard work and it was sometimes hard to find the balance with family life and spend time with my eight-year old son Matthew. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and am really pleased to have done the course. I'm delighted and surprised by the prize. My wife Ruth and parents Christine and Bob will be coming to my graduation."

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