'I'm encouraging other young Travellers to consider university'

Nadine Corbett has set up her own business, completed her end of year exams and graduated with a BSc(Hons) Business with International Business Management degree, all within her final semester at LJMU.

Nadine is from a Traveller background and is the first in her family to go to university.

The Liverpool Business School graduate from Holywell, North Wales, saw a gap in the market for students in need of removals and storage services and using the LJMU Student Futures Start Up Hub has set up her own removals company ‘The Mount: Removals and Storage.’

Nadine’s family owns a self-storage business, and she has used her own knowledge in the sector alongside her acquired sales and business skills from her degree to launch her removals business; building a professional website, establishing an online presence, and confidently explaining to customers why they should trust a brand-new company with their move.

“These skills I’ve learnt during my degree have given me a significant head start when launching my business. I don’t think I would have had the same confidence or early success without this experience.” explains Nadine.

Support at LJMU

“Being involved with the GTRSB inclusion team at LJMU during my studies has been so important. Having a community of people from similar backgrounds in a place where I hadn’t expected to find one gave me a real sense of belonging.

“Although I have never hidden my Traveller background, it was reassuring to know there was support available at the university. It’s been so refreshing to see a community that is often overlooked being recognised and celebrated."

Encouraging other young travellers to consider Higher Education

“Since I’ve started at LJMU, I’ve encouraged many family friends and younger Travellers to consider higher education.”

The idea for Nadine’s business offering also came from her own experiences as a student. Recognising how stressful and difficult moving belongings between home and university can be, she’s introduced affordable student removals as part of the company's services.

“My hope is that, in years to come, my younger siblings will be inspired to join me, allowing us to build a successful family business together—a Traveller business led by a woman, challenging stereotypes and proving that determination, professionalism, and hard work matter far more than people’s assumptions.”

Students from the GTRSB community celebrate their awards

Nadine is one of four young people from the Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showman, Boaters (GTRSB) community who crossed the stage this week at LJMU’s summer graduation ceremonies.

Roma students Abel Iordan (Sami) and Emmelie Jacimovic graduated from the Liverpool School of Art and Creative Industries, while Emmelie’s sister Emma Jacimovic graduated from the School of Law and Justice Studies.

LJMU support for Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showman, Boater (GTRSB) students

The university is a proud signatory of the GTRSB Pledge, a commitment to undertake a range of steps to support GTRSB individuals studying or working in higher education, overcome any barriers and celebrate individual cultures.

The LJMU Outreach team support applicants, while our Inclusion Support team are a dedicated point of contact for students who are studying at LJMU.

Find out more about the GTRSB pledge and our student support here.