Guest Blogger: Alicia Crone

I’m Alicia and I graduated with a 2:1 BA Hons in French and Spanish in 2015. I had the best four years studying at Chester, I look back on my time there very fondly and it’s really hard to believe it is almost 10 years since I graduated!

I was extremely lucky with the course I chose. The modern languages department had, and still has, excellent lecturers and facilities and I was able to choose from a wide range of modules and programmes. I also took part in the student ambassador scheme and was a STAR rep for one of my French modules in my final year.

The highlight of my time at university has to be the opportunity to take two placements abroad – the first at the end of my second year for the work-based learning unit. I went to southern Spain with my course friends, one of whom is still one of my best friends today. We lived in student accommodation at the University of Castilla la Mancha (Albacete), and we spent our days assisting and teaching English in local Spanish primary school. It was an incredible three months and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

My third year was spent as a year abroad. I spent this living as an English teaching assistant in Normandy, France. Not quite as sunny as my Spanish placement, and this was also a placement alone, not with any friends. That aspect was very daunting, but it was an equally rewarding time. I was able to spend lots of time sightseeing in France on my days off, and I joined a local French choir with two American language assistants I was living with.

After finishing fourth year and graduating in November 2015, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, so I took 6 months off working as a sports coach. It was at this time that I decided to apply for teacher training. I applied and was accepted onto a course, and I completed my PGCE in Secondary modern languages in 2017. Teaching gave me a whole range of experiences in different schools and most of the time was extremely rewarding. Teaching through the Covid-19 pandemic was especially challenging, but we found ways to adapt and make virtual teaching work.

I continued teaching until 2022 when I felt it was no longer a career that I was enjoying. Career changes, particularly in teachers, are becoming more common and although it was scary to leave the profession I had been in for six years, I knew it was the right move for me.

I switched from teaching to a career in recruitment, first working for American Express Global Business Travel in April 2022. This first new career move in six years was a huge learning curve for me, and I learned a lot in a very short space of time. I was assisting with the recruitment of roles across Europe and worked with a large variety of people.

I am now working for a manufacturing company in the West Midlands, covering recruitment in the UK and Ireland. This role has been a step up for me, as I now have management of the recruitment cycle and again, I am able to work with colleagues across our business and brands. I am now much happier in my career choice as it gives me a better work life balance and much more flexibility. 

I wanted to share as I know it can seem daunting looking for a career path when you graduate. I didn’t really have an idea of what I wanted to do - I took a good few years to find my fit and I'm still learning and growing, and I’m sure there will be more career changes to come. However, my time ay university helped me greatly with being able to adapt to change, and Chester has so many great resources to help with careers which I would encourage students to use as much as they can.

Cherish your time at Chester, it really is a special place. I wish I could do it all over again, and any time I visit the city or the campus it is always with very fond memories!

Alicia Crone
Class of 2015