A little bit about Ellie:

• Studying: Media and Communication
• Placement: Bureau Veritas UK
• Placement job title: Marketing Intern
• Placement duration: 12 months

Why did you choose to study at Bournemouth?

One of the deciding factors for me to come and study at Bournemouth was the option of taking a sandwich year placement. It’s been extremely helpful in preparing me for employment after university by practicing the skills I learnt at university in a real-life environment, and helping me develop new skills and interests.

Three words to describe your placement:

Eye-opening, challenging and rewarding!

Hardest aspect of your placement?

The hardest aspect of my placement was actually when I started the job. Adjusting to waking up early, having an hour’s drive to and from my office, and generally being in a new professional environment was something I found quite challenging – especially in comparison to student life!

Most enjoyable aspect of your placement:

I enjoyed planning and writing the copy for things like the website news, internal communications and occasionally social media. I also enjoyed getting involved with design projects like creating logos, infographics, case studies and even a short career video that I then got to see being used throughout the business internally and externally.

The Marketing team has also made my placement experience an enjoyable one. My manager has been really supportive and understanding throughout the whole year and encouraged me to push myself and get involved with as many different types of projects as I can. Similarly my colleagues have also made me feel very welcome, helping me understand how the business works and providing support when needed.

What gave you the most satisfaction during placement year?

Successfully completing two of the big projects I received when I started the placement was really satisfying. One of the projects was a digital asset management system which was piloted in the UK and then distributed to both the UK and the North West European region of the business. The second was creating a more accessible and informative version of an internal incentive scheme which generates sales leads for the business. I worked on this project for nearly 10 months so am very proud that this is something being piloted within the business as a way to bring in more leads.

Two tips for future placement students:

1. Don’t put pressure on yourself to be perfect and stress too much about making mistakes. We are students who are on placement to learn and your manager and team will understand that.
2. Instead of fixating on the industry that a potential employer is in, focus on the actual job role. This is what’s going to help develop your skills and give you an understanding of what future roles you’d be interested in.

How has your placement helped focus your future plans?

My placement year has allowed me to try out lots of different areas of marketing, such as copy writing, social media, design work, research, and data analysis. This has helped me realise what I enjoy and perform well in, and what I’m not so good at. While I still would like quite a varied role when I complete my studies to further broaden my skill set, I’m much more aware of my specific interests and the roles I would need to look at applying in order to develop these skills and interests.

Did you feel supported by the university throughout your placement?

My Placement Development Advisor, Vianna Renaud is so friendly and has been a great help throughout the year. We had two placement reviews, the first over the phone with my manager and the second in my office in Birmingham. She’s helped me reflect on my time spent on placement so I am more aware of what I’ve learnt, how I’ve developed my skills, and what the next steps are in regards to finding a job after I graduate.