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Postgraduate stories - Omar ;

Postgraduate alumni: Omar's story

Omar (MA English Literature) knew postgraduate study was key for developing his knowledge and boosting his employability. He was looking for a university close to home with a great reputation and a thought-provoking English Literature course. King’s ticked all of the boxes and helped turn his passion for storytelling into a career. After graduating, he had no idea that his degree and an on-air row with his mum would help him kickstart his career at the BBC.

Why did you decide postgraduate study was right for you?

After my undergraduate degree, I was looking for a job, but wasn’t having much luck. It was actually my parents who suggested postgraduate study. At this point, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I just wanted to educate myself further in English literature and see if this was something I wanted to take to a higher academic level. I also wondered if it would open doors to a certain industry.

Was staying in London important for you?

On a personal level, it was very important. I’ve got a younger brother with autism, and I want to stay around for him.

There were other universities closer to me, but I wanted to go to a great university and the opportunity came at the right time. It didn’t matter that King’s was an extra half an hour on the tube. Now when I mention I studied at King’s, people know the name immediately and they’re impressed.

What did your course cover?

It’s been quite a while since I was a student! However, there were some modules I took that stood out. I remember there was one about American literature which was fascinating. There was another one on the concept of prison in literature. On the side of the Strand, there are a few classrooms. We were talking about Oscar Wilde’s prison letters – and the teacher told us we were actually in the place that he lived. It was fascinating to have that tie to history.

Another module covered concept of games and play within literature. We looked at how literature can adapt and transform itself into different media, such as gaming. Now that I think about it, it’s probably most relevant to what I do today where I look at gaming and tech. I see gaming as an artform which I probably wouldn’t if I hadn’t been at King’s.

How did you secure your first role at the BBC?

My mum went on BBC Asian Network to talk about her career. That’s when they realised how opinionated she was. Moving forward, they asked her regularly to debate different topics. One day she was on the radio talking about kids. I thought she was on the phone so walked in and started arguing with her. Of course, she was embarrassed, and I left, but then the radio station called and asked me to come on air.

While I was doing my undergraduate degree, I’d be asked every so often to go on Newsbeat, TV and radio to give my opinion as a young Muslim student. After I graduated from King’s, the Asian Network needed someone to come in and answer the phone, so they asked me to come in for work experience. I showed enthusiasm and from there they signed me on as a freelancer. And from there, I moved to BBC Click.

Can you tell us what you’re working on at the moment?

I’m producing a BBC 3 documentary which will be coming out in August. It’s on South Asian marriages and breaking down the stereotypes. Looking forward, I’m not sure what’s next for me. Whatever I’m doing, I want to be as ambitious as possible, lift people up with me and give people a platform to tell their story regardless of their race, class or gender.

Ultimately, there are still unpresented voices that aren’t getting their stories heard, and I want to try to bring these to the forefront. I believe individuals need to step up and make a difference.

How did King’s help you get to where you are today?

King’s helped me turn my passion for storytelling into a career in journalism. Patrick Wright in particular really encouraged me in this area and offered me invaluable advice.

The ability to evaluate has been key. I’ve always had to do this as an English literature student, but at King’s I learnt how to truly take myself away from the status quo or the majority perspective.

What advice would you give to someone considering their career options?

The first person you have to be honest with is yourself. Initially, I took what others thought I should be doing and imposed that on myself. You need to believe it is something you want to do. And don’t compare yourself to others. I’m still on a journey to finding myself and I’ve learnt nothing is finite. If you want to reach your potential, you need to be open minded.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Interested in studying a postgraduate course? Find out more about our next Postgraduate Virtual Open Week and discover what it’s like to study at King’s and how to apply.

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