In my opinion, a life well lived is one that is lived in such a way that one utilizes their potential to the maximum. This is the philosophy with which I have led my life up to this point and at all times, I try to ensure that I achieve my ambitions and goals. However, I have come to appreciate the fact that in the aggressive business world, it takes more than raw skill and intuition to succeed; a solid educational background proves invaluable and enables one to remain competitive. It is therefore with a sense of purpose that I am seeking for the opportunity to be enrolled for the Master’s program in Advanced Information Technology and Business Management at the University of Wales. I realize that there are many other people aspiring to join this institute and it is my hope that with this brief description of myself, my ambitions and experiences you shall find me a worthy candidate for this prestigious institute.
I have clearly set goals for my life which I view as the roadmap with which I lead my life. In particular, I see myself holding a senior high level executive position with Kurd-Sky Co. in five years. This is a position that will come with more responsibilities including; coaching other employees and managing more people. I have no doubt in my mind that an MBA degree will enable me learn more in IT and business management environment and therefore become a greater asset to the company.
My country has had a turbulent history and this has had an effect on my education. In 1991, I was in my last year of high school education when I was forced to leave school as a result of the gulf war which forced my family to flee to Turkey. I therefore had to postpone my studies but I did manage to complete them in the next year of study as our regional safety situation became better. After graduating from high school, I joined the Economic college in Accounts Department of Salahdin University in Erbil city. This university was 200Km from my home town and at that time, I lacked the resources to financial my education. I was therefore forced to quit school after three months since I could no longer cater for my cost of living.
An opportunity for me to continue with my education was availed by the establishment of a new university in my home city. However, this university only offered two courses; Medicine and agriculture. I opted to join the agriculture college although my main interest lay in machines and how they work. I was also keen to come up with good ideas of how tools could be used to better people’s lives as well as coming up with practical solutions to help others. My first year in the College of Agriculture in the University of Dohuk was successful although it was mired by challenges as a result of the economic sanctions that had been imposed on Iraq by the USA and 33 other countries. In the course of my second year of study, I had to quit college due to the economic realities that I faced. My father who was the sole bread winner for the family had lost his job and I had to make a contribution to sustain my family which consisted of 10 members.
Having put a hold to my education, I started working as an electrician to enable me make the money needed for my own and my family’s upkeep. However, I kept seeking better job opportunities even as I worked as an electrician. An opportunity availed itself in 1999 when I was contracted to work as an electrician by the UNWFP (United Nation World Food Program). This job not only had a fair enough salary but it also opened me up to a world filled with possibilities. Working in this new environment filled with international staff, I was introduced to modern systems which were available for UN programs.
It is as a result of this that my interest in the computing field was born. I made goals to expand IT in my home city and to make this goal a reality, I undertook computer related courses such as: Windows NT, MS Office, Windows 2000 and active directory. I dedicated more time to advancing my knowledge in the field of IT and with time, I was able to gain proficiency. In the year 2000 I got my official contract as an IT technician to handle computers, printers, scanners and office network installation tasks under direct supervision of the head office. I was also tasked with problem solving and troubleshooting and I leant a lot while carrying out my assigned tasks. In the year 2005, I had the opportunity to supervise OMC (Operation and Maintenance Center) and got employed by Asia-cell Company (1st GSM operator with over 5 millions subscribers in all over Iraq). This employment opportunity resulted in my acquisition of skills necessary to manage a lot of people effectively. I quit the post so that I could start my own business.
I started my current business company (Kurd-Sky for communication) in 2006 as a partnership with a friend. At the onset, the company had two employees who served under the capacity of IT personnel. The company has to date grown significantly and it currently boasts of 2 offices in 2 cities in Iraq and a total of 15 staff members under my supervision as the company’s CEO. The company, Kurd-Sky, typically runs more than 3 projects at a time with follow up and periodic maintenance and site visits.
I have come to the realization that running a company is not an easy task especially when one combines managing business and offering knowledge and expertise in the IT field to employees. One has to be very knowledgeable and possess managerial skills so as to provide the best services to the customers. It has always been my professional objective to be engaged in high-level business management. To me, a challenging profession that allows me to apply my knowledge and expertise to face challenges is what is most interesting.
It is for this reasons that I desire to undertake an M.Sc degree in IT and business. I feel that this is the best time for me since I have ample time to complete the course and I am financially capable to pay for my study expenses. I am a person who will greatly appreciate an opportunity to undertake my graduate program in Advanced Information Technology and Business Management from this institute. To me, being enrolled in the University of Wales will be a monumental step in attaining my goal of becoming a senior high level executive. Given my past experiences and achievements I feel that I am a good candidate for the graduate program. With the superb resources provided by the university, I believe that my current passion and skills will be transformed into excellent skills which will make me a credit to the institute, myself and the society at large.