Cara Stokes

I’m gaining so much experience in so many different areas.” Those are the words of Cara Stokes who is one year into a prestigious graduate scheme with financial giants Lloyds Banking Group.

“You get such a breadth, doing four different placements over the three years; it’s more experience than I ever could imagine,” she said.

Gaining a job in the financial sector might seem like an odd step for a Biomedical Science graduate. But Cara says she is drawing on many of the skills gained on her degree, not least the ability to analyse data and deliver presentations.

Cara graduated from the 51视频 in 2023. Between her second and third years of study, she completed a short work placement with Price Waterhouse Cooper.

“That was specifically working in auditing,” she recalls. “Although it wasn’t really what I wanted to do, it opened my eyes to other things I could apply for in the future. So, when I was coming to the end of my third year, I started looking at what else was out there and found the Lloyds graduate scheme.”

“I never really thought about the finance sector,” Cara adds. “Before my degree I would have been like ‘oh no, I could never do that; it’s all numbers’. But I learned that STEM degrees give you lots of broad skills that are just so transferable.”

Cara completed a Foundation Degree before undertaking her undergraduate degree at Worcester.

“I wouldn’t be where I am now without university. It gave me the confidence to network and to try new things,” she said. “Even if after the three years of the graduate scheme, I find I don’t want to work in finance anymore, I’ll have gained so many skills and along with my degree can look at something else.”

Cara added: “My advice to other people is don’t put yourself in a box. People often ask me if I regret doing Biomed given the job I’m doing now. But I don’t at all. One day I may want to use the skills I’ve gained to explore the healthcare sector again.”