Charlotte Jakubecz joined the graduate programme at contract catering service provider BaxterStorey when she left Edge Hotel School in September 2015.

Charlotte Jakubewcz

She has already improved her technical skills in the kitchen, restaurant, coffee bar and at events, and is involved in product renewal and innovation projects. In just nine months Charlotte has progressed from graduate trainee to Project Manager, putting much of her success down to her Edge training: “A well-rounded understanding of hospitality as a business really set me apart from other candidates. You get a proper experience of managing people and so you understand the different challenges that you will face in the real world.”

She said adaptability was the most valuable skill Edge taught her: “Things move so rapidly in the professional world and Edge prepared me for that really well.”

Charlotte is excited about her future at BaxterStorey where she hopes to progress to general management and eventually area management roles.

The doors to Graduation 2016 open on 12 July. 4,691 students will graduate, bringing the number of Essex graduates, since 1964, to more than 93,000.

Each and every one of our 2016 graduates has had a life-changing experience. They have risen to the challenge of developing a research mindset, they have been involved in clubs, societies and volunteering, and they have grasped opportunities.

We can’t tell all their stories but our Graduating 2016 student profiles shine a light on the individual experiences that make the Essex family inclusive, international and inspiring.