This is a guest blog written by Ross.

Where are you from? I’m originally from Plymouth, Devon – now working in London as part of a placement year, bridging an undergraduate degree in English at Bournemouth University.

Photo of Ross

Why did you come to BU? I decided to attend BU due to the diversity of the course and the array of opportunities that lie outside of academic studies. Involvement with  BU’s student radio station, Nerve and the Bournemouth Rock have been pivotal in allowing me to gain confidence, ability and generally build a good portfolio of different media that have helped me gain a placement. The English course covers an entire spectrum of topics that allow you to really understand what you enjoy the most and pursue that further in the final years.

Tell us about your placement…My current placement is at ESPN in London. I’m part of the Marketing Research & Analytics team. I chose this placement due to my general passion for sports and interest in the market. The placement itself is not specific to my course, but through links in the company, being part of the business has allowed me to get sport pieces published on ESPN’s global sites, while also working in the Research team, understanding a different side to the industry, from a more marketing and financial perspective. I have also written  pieces, sport stories, and blogs for ESPN in my own time.

What has been the highlight of the year? Having the ability to immerse myself in several areas of the business, I feel this has really allowed me to understand that my future career plans are not entirely narrowed down to specialities that my course entails. The understanding I’ve gained will serve me well regardless of which route I chose to follow in terms of career path, and it’s something I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to be involved in.

How did you find the support from the University? I found the placement review session helpful, as did my manager. I feel supported and know where to turn to if I need any help regarding the placement itself or to do with university.

Any advice to students looking for a sandwich placement? Don’t be quick to dismiss placements that at first may not seem relevant – I almost considered not applying for my role for this reason. It’s not a bad thing to go outside your comfort zone.

These blogs are produced by students, for prospective students, to reflect topics in which we think you will be interested. Our student bloggers work with Bournemouth University when producing any content. However, the university cannot be held liable for its accuracy and the views expressed are their own, and do not necessarily represent those of Bournemouth University. Please contact us at futurestudents@bournemouth.ac.uk to report any content considered offensive.

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