Steven Askham

Why Teesside University?

My wife previously studied at Teesside University and she loved the experience. The location was perfect for me as I live locally, worked in Middlesbrough at the time and operated my own business within the Teesside region.

Tell us more about your course

The course was fantastic! It covered a wide variety of modules and the lectures were delivered by academics that are passionate about their field.

My favourite modules included Branding and Marketing Planning Application.

I got loads of practical experience on the course. I worked with local businesses through the Teesside Marketing Clinic, represented the University in the Greggs Marketing Challenge and carried out a paid internship for global chemical company INVISTA.

Both the course and the facilities at Teesside University were outstanding.

I got on really well with my classmates and went on to set up a partnership with a fellow mature student and worked on a number of marketing plans for various organisations including the NHS. We set this up in order to gain further practical experience and to network within the industry.

What are you doing now?

I am now marketing manager at The Creative Alchemist, which is literally my dream job, combining my two favourite aspects of marketing. The Creative Alchemist is a full-service branding and marketing agency. We love helping businesses and organisations grow their brand through brilliant design and strategic tactics.

As a team we have the collective knowledge and experience to cover almost every element a brand might need from branding workshops, brand strategy and graphic design through to the marketing strategy, digital tactics, copywriting and content delivery. We work specifically with ambitious businesses and organisations locally and nationally, helping them to transform and grow.

Did your time at Teesside Uni help you to achieve your goals?

Yes, the course and my classification definitely helped me get my job. I graduated with a first class honours and received the Oxford University Press Marketing Prize - for that I can’t thank Teesside University enough.