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Graduating with a First and landing a job with leading telecommunications giant Vodafone are things worth celebrating during a global pandemic.

At Brandenburg Gate after cycling from Amsterdam to Berlin to raise money for charity

Mechanical Engineering graduate Mohammed Jamaal Moosa is doing just that by joining in with ̨ÍåÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ Leicester’s (DMU) online events to mark the resilience of the Class of 2020.

Set to start Vodafone’s technology graduate scheme in September, Jamaal will benefit from working in rotation across different areas of the company.

He will also receive internal placement opportunities in the area he chooses to specialise in, as well as other training and personal development to ensure he fulfils his potential and career goals.

The 22-year-old from Leicester said: “I’m so excited and I just can’t wait to start. It feels too good to be true after the year we’ve had.

“I’ll be working from home until it’s safe for everyone to go back to the office and on sites again, but at least that will give me time to save some money before relocating to Reading for the job.”

Jamaal ran the Leicestershire half marathon in training for the Palestine Marathon

Jamaal was chosen from hundreds of applicants after a rigorous selection process involving an initial video call interview, followed by an invitation to Vodafone’s assessment centre where he took part in both group and individual tasks.

“Applying to grad schemes is like having a full-time job on top of your degree and the selection process can be really intimidating,” he said.

“I’m really lucky though because DMU’s placement and careers team helped me massively with my CV and with mock interviews so I was able to prepare solid answers for different scenarios.”

The same team helped Jamaal to secure a year-long placement at Network Rail, which gave him the skills and experience to stand out among the competition for his graduate role.

Working within route asset management, Jamaal was part of the team responsible for looking after 44,000 structures, such as bridges and tunnels, on the London North Western route. 

Representing Riders of Shaam at the British Muslim Awards

He said: “I highly recommend doing a year in industry. Not only does it give you the chance to apply what you’ve learned on your course to a real-life scenario, it also makes you cherish your final year at university.”

Something Jamaal is particularly looking forward to when he joins Vodafone, is the company’s volunteering scheme which encourages employees to give back to the community.

A devoted volunteer, Jamaal has played a crucial part in supporting his local community during COVID-19, helping to carry out crucial rituals at Muslim funerals, delivering care packages to local NHS staff and preparing hundreds of food parcels for vulnerable people.

“One of the positives of coronavirus is that I’ve had a lot more free time to dedicate to helping others. As a young person with no underlying health conditions I feel like it’s my duty,” he said.

Jamaal’s charitable efforts earned him the 2019 Community Initiative award at the British Muslim Awards with Riders of Shaam, a charity which hosts annual cycle rides to different parts of Europe, raising more than £500,000 since it was first established in 2012 by a group of DMU students.

Reflecting on some of his university highlights, Jamaal said: “My degree has given me a head start in life and I’m really grateful to my professors who have been really supportive and encouraging.

“I’ll really miss being a part of the running society, getting to travel to places like New York thanks to DMU Global, and being a brand ambassador, which meant I got to chat to students on Open Days about my course and university life in general.

“All of these amazing opportunities have made me value DMU a lot.”