Rachel’s a top consumer watchdog

Rachel Mason is set for a new career in Consumer Law, thanks to her BSc (Hons) degree from the University of Teesside. Rachel, 22, from Thornaby, achieved her degree in Consumer Law and Consumer Science in July and started her post as an Assistant Food Law Adviser for the company Campden & Chorleywood in Gloucestershire shortly afterwards.

Rachel said: “I’ll be giving general food law and packaging advice to a range of clients, including big supermarkets. The degree has been invaluable, as it’s given me the skills to work in this area. It also helped me for my interview presentation, where I had to look at a piece of legislation and then summarise it. I was so pleased to get this job after only my first interview. ”

The practical side of the course was particularly appealing to Rachel. “Modules like Food Law were interesting, accessible and you could relate them to real life. I enjoyed my final year dissertation, where I explored deceptive packaging. I found that the size of food packages doesn’t always show the real quantity and this deceives quite a lot of people. Unfortunately, at present there is no legislation in this field”, added Rachel.

She is glad she chose her local University. Rachel said: “The University’s Learning Resource Centre was really good, with plenty of computers. The course lecturers were very helpful as well.”

Rachel is a former pupil of St. Patrick’s RC Secondary School, Thornaby, and Middlesbrough College. She is the daughter of Carol and Neil Mason.

John Whisson the Course Leader for the degree said: "Rachel is typical of this years graduates who were successful in the employment market long before the completion of their degree. It demonstrates how employable graduates in Consumer Science & Consumer Law are to the business world. This year we have one employed by a Quality Assurance firm in America, one based in Wembley, working in Quality Assurance and another working as liaison officer for the Baltic Flour Mill in Gateshead. It would seem if you fancy a career then do this degree."

For more details on the BSc (Hons) degree in Consumer Science and Consumer Law please call 01642 342499, or check the University of Teesside’s web site at www.tees.ac.uk

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