Thursday 03-11-2022 - 14:31

 

Meet Pattarin Oonmettaree, a third year business management student from Hatfield College and the incumbent president of the Durham University Women in Business society (DUWIB). Established in 2010, the DUWIB is committed to bridging the gender gap in employment by extending resources to women in their early careers. The DUWIB has an extensive membership base, a thriving alumni network, numerous industrial sponsorships and an enriching mentorship program to its merit. Recipient of the Bright Network Award for the 'Society with the Biggest Impact on Campus', the DUWIB is a free and inclusive society with women empowerment at its core. 

Pattarin joined the DUWIB in her foundation year at Durham, greatly motivated by the eminent cause that it advocated. Encouraged by the illuminating talks that it held, she found herself in a community of like-minded people and ever since, she has been an integral part of the group and its endeavours. Pattarin remarks that it is at the DUWIB that she found the first-ever representation of her Thai identity. Growing up in the midwest in the US, Pattarin was yet to see any Thai representation in executive roles. Nevertheless, at the time of her joining, the DUWIB was led by a student from Thailand. This kind of representation significantly drove Pattarin to pursue executive positions in the group. 

In her first year, she held the post of the marketing manager and was devoted to her role from the beginning. As she grew into her role, she benefitted tremendously by learning from her passionate execs and members. By learning crucial leadership skills and networking with the brightest minds in the field, Pattarin gained professional skills that accelerated her career. 

She is grateful to the DUWIB mentorship scheme for having helped her find her mentor. Pattarin’s mentor was supportive, insightful and genuinely believed in her work. Her mentor helped her wade through all her applications and interviews and thus was crucial to her professional development. This year as the President, Pattarin is a mentor to four mentees and hopes to be just as beneficial to them. 

When asked about her experience as a President, she mentions that the role has been immensely rewarding. She currently oversees a team of 20 execs and innumerable members. She’s delighted to hear from the members of the society comment on what a significant help the DUWIB has been in setting the monumentum for their professional careers. She finds it truly satisfying to see the indelible impact that the group has had on campus and the personal journeys of many. With multiple CV-building workshops, cover letter clinics and talks by experts from diverse and niche domains, the DUWIB works relentlessly to facilitate employability and enhance student life. 

Pattarin says that though running such a massive student group is fulfilling, it brings with it a learning curve. From scrupulously managing time and prioritising tasks to staying on top of strategy, the role presents itself as challenging for a full-time student. However, she credits her team for supporting her and the goals of the DUWIB with great enthusiasm. Hence, she believes in efficient delegation and streamlining of processes, to harness the true strengths of the team. She also notes that leveraging support and engaging in collaborative efforts with the University and the Students' Union is key to maximising impact. 

As Pattarin reflects on her journey with the DUWIB, she is moved by the exceptional impact that the group has had on her personal and professional life. From equipping her with work ethics to training her in negotiation and effective communication, her time at the DUWIB has been that of learning and growth.  

The DUWIB holds multiple events every term. Tune in to their panel discussion on 'Women in Marketing' on the 10 November.

 

 

This student story was written by Malavika Pillai, one of our Digital Content Creators at Durham SU. If you would like to share your story with Durham students, get in touch with Malavika at: malavika.pillai@durham.ac.uk