Interns marketing themselves to employers

Four Teesside University graduates have joined a college’s marketing department in a bid to boost their chances of securing their dream jobs.

Adam Hudson, Steff Ellis, Thomas Edgar and Simon Meek, who all graduated last summer, have been hired by Bishop Auckland College on a joint three month internship.

Their appointment coincides with new research published this week which showed graduates who undertook internships had a much better chance of being hired. The UK’s top 100 employers told the study, conducted by High Fliers Research, they are planning to hire a total of 18,264 graduates this year, an increase of 8.7% compared with 2012.

If employers fulfil their targets, it would represent the highest level of graduate recruitment since 2007.

But crucially, more than a third of these new positions will be filled by graduates who had already undertaken internships, industrial placements or holiday work with the organisations.

During their three month placements Adam, Steff, Thomas and Simon will be assisting the college with its Higher Education recruitment campaign as well as helping to run open events and increasing its digital marketing output.

Kevin Burns, Head of Marketing and Schools Liaison, said: 'As well as a welcome fillip to our staff resources in the marketing department, we have an ideal opportunity to learn from four recent graduates how we can improve our marketing to attract young people to study here from across south Durham.

'And for them this will offer invaluable industry experience which will hopefully give them an advantage in the jobs market as they pursue they chosen careers in the media and marketing field.'

Adam, 22, from Manchester, qualified with a BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism and will be working on photography and the production of films at the college for its online and offline marketing. Steff, 21, from Nottingham, graduated with a BA (Hons) Performance for Live and Recorded Media, and will assist with events planning, schools liaison and carrying out film interviews for the college website.

Thomas, 23, from west Cumbria, obtained a product design degree and is working on graphic design, while Simon, 23, of Ferryhill, County Durham, qualified with a degree in marketing and advertising and is concentrating on digital marketing.

Thomas said: 'With my aspirations set on entering a career in design, just a few days following the completion of my course the enormity of the challenge of securing employment in this competitive industry dawned on both me and my fellow peers. This programme has given me a metaphorical size ten in the door while also enabling me to develop a live portfolio.'

Andrew Abbey, Deputy Director of Student Services at Teesside University, added: 'Teesside University is dedicated to equipping our graduates with all the skills they need to succeed in employment. The internship scheme is one of the ways in which our graduates can gain relevant experience and make a real impact in a sector they are passionate about.

'Employers are often looking for experience alongside qualifications and we are delighted to have teamed up with Bishop Auckland College to provide four highly skilled and ambitious graduates.'

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