Ashmika
Trivedi

Placement: Education Support Centre UK (ESCuk)

Position: Marketing Assistant

To begin my placement search I made use of the University Employability Online service to explore and plan my placement journey. The service allows NTU students to access resources such as employer event listings, assessment centre simulation activities as well as CV and cover letter advice. The Employability Team were also extremely helpful and provided tips on improving my CV as well as providing assistance with interview preparations. To find my placement I used InPlace which is a dedicated platform for NTU students to search listings.

At ESCuk I was given the freedom to design and execute marketing campaigns working alongside the ESC Business Manager. I lead various projects including the launch of a website to support activity in new markets. As part of this, I had to create a mock website and work with the web development team to design elements of the new website. I particularly enjoyed designing the content and graphics of the website with the web development team.

During my placement I was able to implement some of the models and theories I had learnt during my studies. I was able to apply marketing communication frameworks and consumer behaviour theories to put forward ideas to increase sales. I was also able to apply soft skills such as team working, communication and problem-solving in a working environment.

The recruitment process was quite straightforward with a formal interview in the first instance. I had previously attended an assessment centre to secure a different role at a different company so I was already aware of the process.

I received monthly phone calls from NTU to check if I was getting on well and enjoying my placement. I had a meeting with my placement tutor who helped me set objective for the year.

I would highly recommend all students take up the placement opportunity as I have really grown personally and professionally. The placement year gives you the opportunity to discover your interests and nurture them. The experience has given me more clarity about the field and industry I want to work in after graduating. One piece of advice I would give to all student looking for a placement is keep trying and don’t give up. Perseverance is key to securing a placement.