"WMG has certainly helped both my development and the results I deliver on a day to day basis. It has allowed me to see beyond my organisation and how things are done; to understand other delegates approaches, and other industry and academic ways of tackling problems."

Matthew Cartwright, Caterpillar

I studied an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Management at Loughborough University before gaining a graduate position at Caterpillar. I was keen to continue my learning and development and so started my MSc in Supply Chain and Logistics Management at WMG within two years of beginning my career. For me this worked well; it gave a good balance between having experience, and having the appetite to learn on top of a demanding day job.

An MSc was an ideal opportunity to further my career development and put into practice what I have learnt so far in industry. I also felt that in an ever competitive business world, obtaining an MSc would help differentiate myself from my peers. I chose an MSc over an MBA as I believed this would better give me a broader experience.

I chose WMG after an extensive search throughout the UK. The global reputation of the University of Warwick, its facilities, WMG's appetite to grow and develop itself and its people, along with its geographical location were primary reasons for my selection of WMG.

I enjoyed my experience at WMG. The people made it for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the teaching - from individuals who had real life experience, who were passionate about the topic. They always encouraged debate amoungst the group and pushed for new ways of thinking. I also enjoyed the experiences and diversity of other delegates. The course structure lends itself well to meeting many new people from different backgrounds and different levels of experience in their career. Having a core group who progressed together, plus meeting new individuals on each module kept the dynamic fresh.

Studying an MSc whilst in a demanding day job is a challenge. I would say people need to be honest with themselves on whether they can cope with these demands and what the impact will be on their families. That said, it is manageable if a structured approach is adopted. I would always set aside a portion of time per week to study, and having the discipline to do this rather than something else is critical. Certainly for a dissertation I would also advise starting early and working diligently to allow plenty of time to complete. The last 10% seems to take the most time. I also gave myself a three week break towards the end, to allow me to return to my dissertation and objectively review the contents. This break resulted in many changes for the better.

WMG has certainly helped my development and the results I deliver on a day to day basis. A key reason for this is that it allows me to see beyond my organisation and how things are done, to understand other delegates approaches, and other industry and academic ways of tackling problems. A key area which I put into practice is some of the people skills I have developed, particularly to do with change management. These skills are key to becoming a great leader, not just manager.