James '˜heads west' to study business in USA

James, who is currently studying Human Resource Management at Ulster University, will spend the next academic year at Maryville College, Tennessee, after being selected to take part in British Council’s prestigious Study USA programme.

The 20-year-old will join 53 other students from across Northern Ireland on the programme, which enables students to study business and management for a year in American colleges, across 34 States, where they gain valuable international experience and business knowledge, helping to develop their career prospects when they return.

He said: “I’m mostly looking forward to experiencing life in a new culture, meeting new people and travelling to different places in America - where I’ve always wanted to go.

“This will be a new challenge for me as I’ve never been out of the country for longer than a couple of weeks and never without friends or family. I wanted to go outside my comfort zone and Study USA is the perfect opportunity to broaden my horizons and develop new skills which I can use in the future to help with my career plans.”

The British Council, which is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations, manages Study USA on behalf of the Department for the Economy.

Since its formation in 1994, the initiative has sent over 2000 students from Northern Ireland to all four corners of the United States where they have successfully completed a year studying business.

Director of the British Council Northern Ireland Jonathan Stewart added: “I am confident that the students departing for the USA will be great ambassadors for Northern Ireland and will help to further important long-term links and connections between the two countries.”

Study USA is just one of many international opportunities available through British Council Northern Ireland.