Lucy Wharton joined V Formation as a PR Assistant in June 2018 through the University of Nottingham Internship Scheme. Here, she offers an insight into her PR internship and what she has learnt in her first month at a busy marketing and PR consultancy.
After finishing my English degree at the University of Nottingham in June 2018, I was keen to look for an opportunity offered by UoN’s Internship Scheme, after successfully securing and completing a placement in Public Relations through the initiative in the previous summer. I felt that PR was the right fit for me as my degree had armed me with strong written communication, organisation, research and analytical skills and I thoroughly enjoyed gaining an insight into the specialisms of other businesses through client work in previous placements.
The internship scheme works with hundreds of SMEs to enable them to recruit to a range of job areas, get fresh perspectives from students and graduates and use these internships as a gateway to longer-term employment.
As the scheme receives funding from Santander Universities, participating businesses also receive a grant towards the cost of employing an intern.
The role description for a PR Assistant position at V Formation stood out to me due to the diverse and exciting range of tasks involved, which included:
- Copywriting – articles, blogs, web content, press releases
- Digital PR and marketing
- Social media management
- Database management
V Formation also guaranteed that no two days are the same – and this has certainly been true. During my time here, I have worked on projects for a broad range of clients including professional practice firms, family businesses and ambitious SMEs in the life sciences and high-tech sectors. The ‘hands-on,’ dynamic nature to the role enables me to gain practical experience of all things PR, from writing press releases and online blogs to preparing comprehensive media lists and issuing stories to publications. With the support of the team at V, I have developed my knowledge of their growing client base, assisting me in adopting the most appropriate tone of voice when producing written content for businesses and learning what makes a good story.
As part of my internship, I am also participating in the Innovation Community Lab – a thirty-hour programme of interactive workshops for ambitious new starters in SMEs based in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The initiative will allow me to network and make connections with other junior PRs and marketers and develop the tools and knowledge to support V Formation in generating and implementing new ideas, enhancing my creative input and contribution to the business.
V Formation is an inspiring, insightful and supportive PR and marketing consultancy that values its employees both old and new and understands the value and potential of graduates. If you would like to get in touch, please click here.