University News Last updated 14 April
Three recent BCU graduates, who are now working alongside each other at a local creative marketing agency, are already excelling in their careers on the same campus where they studied.
Brew, which specialises in website builds and digital marketing, are based at STEAMhouse on BCU鈥檚 City Centre campus.
We caught up with three BCU graduates, Beatrice, Brithney and Jim, to find out more about what they do at Brew.
They share their journeys, experiences and valuable advice for current students.
From Influencer Marketing to Account Management
Meet Beatrice
Marketing graduate, Beatrice, is the Account Manager for Brew, looking after a range of clients and overseeing all the services they come to Brew for, mainly focusing on organic and paid social media.
It鈥檚 Beatrice鈥檚 job to ensure all clients' needs are met, which can involve liaising with internal colleagues and externals, attending client meetings and writing new business proposals.
Beatrice begun her journey with Brew whilst studying at BCU, assisting on an influencer event as work experience, which then led to supporting on their marketing admin.
She said: 鈥淲ork experience at Brew definitely helped to prepare me for my full-time role at Brew as it gave me an insight into how agencies work, how to work with clients and form relationships with colleagues, clients and third parties.鈥�
Beatrice gained valuable hands-on experience in Influencer Marketing, which proved to be a valuable stepping stone for her current role now as Account Manager at Brew.
Her advice for current students is to get some valuable work experience. She said: 鈥淎pply for any work experience at all. Don't be picky about sectors or areas within marketing as you don't truly know what you want to do until you've tried it. Have an open mind.
鈥淚f you have experience, make sure to include what you've learnt, and how this will benefit you in future roles.鈥�
Specialising in Paid Social Strategy
Meet Brithney
Digital Marketing graduate, Brithney, is Brew鈥檚 Account Executive and focuses on Paid Social.
Brithney also first joined Brew on a work experience placement supplied by BCU, managing their social media. Previous placements at The Link, Disruptiv Media and Harmonia Productions prepared her for the role.
She said: 鈥淭here are various tasks that can be delegated over any given day such as ad builds & projects, reporting, creating and scheduling organic posts for social media, influencer projects.鈥�
Her advice for current students is to start getting experience early. She said: 鈥淲hether it's paid or volunteering - it'll all be vital. Not only is getting experience vital for you regarding employability prospects, but it's also great for you.
鈥淲e all have ideas of what we think we like or want when we're in university but entering that job will truly show you whether it is for you or not. Then that allows you to be a bit more intentional with your job hunting after university.鈥�
Turning a Passion for Design into a Career
Meet Jim
Visual Communications graduate, Jim, is a middleweight designer for Brew, working on everything from social media campaigns to website design.
He said: 鈥淲orking in an agency can be fast-paced and allow you to work on a variety of different projects.鈥�
During his studies, Jim completed work experience with the Royal College of Art, working alongside Public Health Northern Ireland and the Helen Hamlin Centre for Design on a campaign aimed towards male mental health in Northern Ireland.
He said: 鈥淭his helped me prepare for my role within Brew as it gave me vital knowledge in how to work within a team that wasn鈥檛 made up just from designers but creative people from all backgrounds and roles.鈥�
Jim鈥檚 advice for current students is to try everything. He said: 鈥淭ry and jump out of your comfort zone and find what you really love doing within your field of practice. If you鈥檝e never tried motion design, go try it out.
鈥淚f you鈥檝e never tried campaign design, just try it all! You might find something that you love doing and then you can go out and find work experience within that sector.鈥�