Make the Future Yours! Issue 6

Discover a new career in the great outdoors!

Are you creative, practical, have an eye for detail, interested in the environment and want to work outdoors? Then landscaping could be the career for you.

There are lots of roles in landscaping...

Creatively solving problems in green spaces, designing plans that will improve or create new gardens? This is landscape design.

Looking for something hands-on and physical? Want to be involved in planning and building landscapes using a range of structural materials to turn design into reality? This is hard landscaping.

Can you see yourself choosing and planting a wide range of plants to transform green spaces, adding texture, colour, and scent? This is soft landscaping.

Making sure green spaces are looking their best, that they are safe, clean, and attractive to those using and visiting them? This is landscape maintenance.

To find out how to have a career in the great outdoors, visit www.golandscape.co.uk

MaketheFutureYours!is makethefutureyours makethefutureyours1 makethefutureyours

publishedbi-monthly. Tosubscribe,visit: www.makethefutureyours.com Editorial Make theFutureYours

WelcometoanothergreatissueofMaketheFutureYours! Inthisedition,weareverypleasedtobringyouinterviews withnotonebuttwoApprenticesfromAWE,theAtomic WeaponsEstablishment.Atthecuttingedgeofengineering andtechnology,itwasinterestingtohearwhatrolesBayley andNatashadothere.Wealsohearfromadedicated physiotherapistandatalentedgardendesigner,aswellas someusefuladviceforanyone lookingatrenting.

ClaireSutton claire@makethefutureyours.co @edfutureyours Advertising hello@makethefutureyours.com 02394004042 Publisher TheFuture Business Ltd www.thefuturebusiness.co.uk Contents 4 6 8 10 13 15 18 20 23 23 24 27

Thereproduction ofanymaterial,whether wholeorin part,isstrictlyforbiddenwithout priorwrittenconsentof thepublisher.The editorreservestherighttopublishanyletters andsubmissions.Pricesanddetailsaresubject tochangeandTheFutureBusinessLtdaccepts noresponsibilityforomissionsorerrors. All materialssentatoriginalowner’srisk. ©The FutureBusinessLtd2022. Allrightsreserved

AccesstoHEcourses Careersinenvironmentallyconsiousconstruction Fivevitalquestionstoaskbeforeapplyingforuniversity Missioncritical,scienceandengineering Acareerinlandscape Physiotherapy:Helpingpeoplelivetheirbestlife TLevels-anemployerview Tipsforrentingproperty Usefulstuff:Volunteering? 10Tipstogettingmortage WhatisMarketing? Usefulstuff:Keydatesandmore

Accessto HEcourses

Whatif,abitlaterinlife,youdecideyouwantto gotouniversitybutdidn’thavetheopportunity togettherightentryqualificationsbefore?Don’t letthatstopyou-that’sjustthesituationthat AccesstoHigherEducation(HE)courseswere designedfor.Welookatwhattheyareallabout.

Formostpeople,goingtouniversityissomethingtheywilldointheir lateteensorearlytwenties,aftertheyhavedoneALevels,BTECsor otherLevel3qualifications.Butthat’snotthecaseforeveryone.There couldbelotsofreasonswhythistraditionalroutewasn’trightforyou, butit’snevertoolatetoconsiderHigherEducation.SomeUniversity AdmissionsTutorswillconsiderthingslikelife-experienceandindustry qualificationswhenlookingatapplications,andit’salwaysworth checkingwiththeAdmissionsTutortogettheiradvice.However,a qualificationsuchasAccesstoHEcanreallyboostyourchances ofacceptanceandsuccessonyourchosencourse.

WhatisAccesstoHE?

TheAccesstoHigherEducation(HE)DiplomaisaLevel3 (ALevelequivalent)qualificationdesignedtoprepare adultstostudyinHE.Theyareopentoresidentsof England,WalesandNorthernIrelandandare typicallyaone-year,full-timecourse.Increasingly, manyarebeingofferedasonline/distancelearning optionswhichmightbemoreflexibletofit aroundyourexistingcommitments.They arenotusuallysuitableforyounger applicants,sotheyarenotofferedasa substitutetoALevelsat16.Learners suitedtoanAccesstoHEcoursewill usuallyhavebeenoutofeducationforat leastayear,butprobablylonger.Youwill alsoneedtoholdGCSEEnglishandMaths orequivalentLevel2qualificationsat gradeC/4orhigher.

Formoredetailsandalistofallcourses currentlyavailable,exploretheAccessto HEwebsiteat: www.accesstohe.ac.uk

Whatsubjectsareavailable? OrganisationswhoteachAccesstoHE courseshavesomescopetotailorcourses tothedemandsoftheirlocalareaor popularuniversitycourses.Thismeanswe haveseenagrowthinbothsubjectsand combinedsubjectsonofferaroundthe country.Hereisaquicksummaryofsome ofthemostpopularbutthisisnotallof themsopleasecheckwhatyourlocal collegescanoffertoo:

•Animal&Land-basedProfessions, includingSciences,Zoologyor Environmentalstudies

•Business,includingcombinationswith AccountancyLaw,Managementand Marketing

•Construction&BuiltEnvironment,Civil EngineeringandConstruction

•Education&Care,fromEarlyYearsto TeachingandYouthWork

•Humanities&CreativeArts,including CreativeandDigitalMedia,Drama,History orFashion

•IT&Digital,withComputerGameDesign, ComputerScience,mathsorengineering

•Law&Policing,suchasforensics, criminologyandlegalprofessions

•Medicine&Health,fromBiochemical SciencetoNursingandMidwifery,to PharmacyandParamedic

•Sciences&Engineering,including Engineering,Physics,ChemistryandMaths• Socialsciences

•SportFitnessandHealthScience,suchas PhysioandSportTherapyorCoachingand BusinessManagement

Careersin Environmentally Conscious Construction

Whenyouthinkaboutcareersinconstruction,youprobablythink oftraditionallyskilledjobslikebricklayer,roofer,orplasterer. However,increasedenvironmentalawarenessandhigher standardsofenvironmentalprotectioninconstructionledtoan increaseindemandforspecialists,leadingtoaboominexciting newcareersinenvironmentallyconsciousconstruction.We highlightafewofthemhere.

Ecologist

Ecologyisabranchofscience thatlooksathowanimals, plantsandhumansinteract witheachother.Ecologists thereforeplayakeyroleinthe constructionofbuilding developments.Beforeany workscanstart,Ecologistsare on-sitesurveyingallofthe wildlife,plants,watercourses andthelocalenvironmentto identifyanypotentialnegative impactsonthenatural surroundings.Collecteddatais analysedandformsthebasis ofreports,with recommendationsmadein accordancewithlegislationand environmentalstandards. Ecologistssplittheirtime betweensurveys,officetime andsitevisitstoensureworks arebeingcarriedout.Analytical thinking,excellentverbaland writtencommunicationskills, andtheabilitytoworkwell underyourowninitiativeare somekeyskills highlyvaluedin Ecologists.Aloveforwildlife andallthingsnaturewouldbea greatbenefittoo!

GeologicalSurveyor

AGeologicalSurveyor investigatesandstudiesthe rockcompositionbeneatha prospectivedevelopmentsite. Thishelpsthehousebuilder understandifthelandthey’re goingtobuildhomesonis solid,importantstuffifyou wanthomesthatlast. Techniquesusedincludesite surveys,analysingmapsand plans,andtheuseofdigital toolsincludingAutoCADand GeographicInformation Systems(GIS)toformthreedimensionalmapsofthe

subterraneanlandscapeand geologicalmakeupbeneaththe constructionsite.Froma renewableenergypointofview, geologicalsurveyscanhelp determineifasiteissuitableto installGroundSourceHeat Pumps(GSHPs).GSHP’suse buriedpipessometimesover 100mdeeptotakewarmthfrom belowtheEarth’ssurfaceanduse ittoheatourhomesandwater. WiththeUKandWelsh Governmenttargetstophaseout theuseofgasboilersinhomes, technologiessuchasGround SourceHeatPumpsaresuretobe inhighdemand.Manypeople workingeology,fromtheon-site surveyorsanddataanalyststo thosewhogettoworkwithvery bigdrills.Aninterestinsciences, geographyorrocksandfossils wouldbeawonderfulplaceto start.

SustainabilityConsultant

Environmentalsustainabilityis the responsibilitytoconservenatural resourcesandprotectglobal ecosystemstosupporthealthand wellbeingforall,nowandinthe future.ASustainabilityConsultant workswithintheconstruction industrytoensurethat sustainabilityisatthecentreof theproject,combiningskillsfrom businessandenvironmental management. ASustainability Consultantwouldlookatall activitiesofacompanytodevelop theirbusinessstrategyincluding bestpracticesforbothnowand thefuture.Inhome-building,this couldbethroughhelpingreduce wasteduringconstructionto increaseefficiency,maximisingthe useofrenewableenergyinthe newlybuilthomes,making recommendationson improving buildingfabricandinsulationfora

morecomfortableand efficient home,oronpreservingand maximisinggreenspace. Strongproblem-solving, organisationaland communicationskills,aswell asastronginterestinthe widerscopeofeverything sustainability,wouldmakeyou agreatfitforthisrole.

MaterialsScientist

Materialsscientistsstudythe chemicalandstructural propertiesofman-madeand naturalmaterials.Throughthis research,MaterialsScientists seektounderstandthe propertiesandlimitationsof existingmaterials,devising waystostrengthentheseorby combininganddeveloping newmaterials.Thiscould meandevelopinganewtype ofplasterthathasnoise cancellingproperties,anew typeofinsulationtohelpkeep homesextracosyinthewinter, oraphotovoltaicmaterialto captureenergyfromthesun assolarpowertorunhomes andbusinesses.Itcouldalso meanunderstandingthe forcesthatmaterialsareable towithstandandworkinghard tomakesurethismeetsthe needsoftheproject. New materialstechnologyhasabig parttoplayinimprovingthe environmentalsustainabilityof homes.Aninquisitivenature andadrivetoresearchand discoverwithstrong mathematicalskillsare essentialqualitiesforthis fascinatingcareer.

Formoreinformationabout constructioncareers,goto theGoConstructwebsite, www.goconstruct.org

Fivevitalquestionstoask beforeapplyingforuniversity

Areyouthinkingaboutapplyingforuniversity?Haveyoustopped toreallythinkaboutwhy?Eachyear,around6%ofundergraduate studentswilldropoutoftheiruniversitycourse.Thiscouldbefora wholerangeofreasons,butasignificantnumberarebecause theircourseoruniversitylifewasn’twhattheywereexpecting. Whilstagoodmanywillsuccessfullycompletefurtherstudyor trainingelsewhere,perhapsalittlemorethoughtinadvancecould havesavedthemthis‘falsestart’.

Thefundamentalquestionhastobewhethera universitycourseistherightthingforyou,for yourlearningstyleandforyourfuturegoals. But,howdoyouworkthatout?Hereareafew questionstoaskyourselfthatmighthelpyouto focusinonthatdecision.

Doyouneedadegreeforthecareeryou havechosen?

Therearemanyprofessionswhichrequirea degreequalificationasprerequisiteofentry. Thereareotherswhereadegreeisan advantage,ifnotactuallyarequirement. However,thereareotherwaysofachieving degreelevelqualificationsthanbecomingafulltimestudent,includingpart-timeprofessional study,OpenUniversityanddistancelearning courses,andagrowingnumberofDegreeand HigherApprenticeships.So,beforeyousignup

justbecauseyoufeelyouhaveto,it’sworth checkingoutifthereareotherroutesinto yourchosencareer.

Wherewillyoulive?

Manystudentschoosetomakegoingto universitytheirchancetomoveawayfrom homeforthefirsttime.Ifthat’strueinyour case,universityaccommodationofficescan bebrilliantinhelpingtofindsecureand reasonablypricedhousingoptionstoease youin.Manyalsoofferdifferentcatering packages,iftheideaofhavingtocookfor yourself(orliveontakeaways!)isfillingyou andyourparentswithdread.

However,it’sincreasinglytruethatnotall studentsdomoveawayfromhometostudy. Withtheincreasingcostsinvolved,livingat homecankeepaccommodationandliving

expensesdown.Thismightbesomethingyou needtodiscusswithyourparents–isyouridea ofagreatstudentsociallifecompatiblewith theirideaofapeacefulhousehold?Andchances areyou’llneedtopayforyourowntravel,so don’tforgettofactorthatin.

Areyoupassionateaboutyourchosen subject?

Pickingasubjectthatyouenjoyorcanseea clearpurposeinisessentialtogivingyourself thebestchanceofsuccess.Pickingthesubject thatyoujusthappenedtodobestatforALevel isnotaguaranteethatyouwillbemotivated enoughtoreflectyourbestabilities.Thinkhard aboutwhatsubjectyouchoosetoapplyforand beassureasyoucanbethatit’sgoingtokeep youengrossedforthelengthofthecourse.Itis alsoworthreflectingonhowyoulearnbestand findoutwhetheryourchosencoursewillgive youappropriateopportunities;it’smuchharder tostaymotivatedifyou’rea‘practical’learner whofindsthemselvestrappedinlecture theatresorlibrariesmostofthetime.

Areyoupreparedforthefinancial consequences?

Forabouttwentyyearsnow,it’sbeenareality thatuniversitystudentsneedtopaynotonlyfor theirownupkeepbuttuitionfeesaswell.Clearly thousandsofpeopledotakethatstepevery year;theinterestandrepaymentratesare usuallyreasonableandhavebecomeasmuch aspartoffinanciallifeasrentormortgage repayments.Andyoudon’thavetostartpaying anythingbackuntilyou’vereachedtheearnings threshold(currently£372aweekor£1,615a monthforPlan1loans).However,itcanstillfeel likeabigcommitment,soitisworthchattingto astudentfinanceexperttoputyourmindat rest.Andtakingoutthoseloansforacourse you’renotcommittedtocouldfeelrather pointlessinthelongterm.

Areyoufeelingbraveenough?

Startingauniversitycourseisabigstepfor anyone,atanytimeintheirlife.Formost,it meansleavingbehindfriendsfromschool andcollegeandmakinganewstart,ifnotin anewtown,atleastinanewinstitution.It’s reasonabletoexpecttobenervousbut manypeoplewilltaketoitlikeaduckto water(asthesayinggoes)and,oncethey havesettledin,theywillneverlookback. Therearethingsyoucandotohelpyourself withthatsettlinginprocess,ofcourse:

Findouthowmanystudentswillbeonthe courseyouapplyfor–smallernumberswill oftenmeanthatfriendshipgroupsform moreeasilythanoncourseswithmuch largernumbers.

Thinkaboutwhetheracampusuniversityor onebasedonatowncentresitewouldsuite youbest;ifyouareinaccommodationona campussite,itmightfeelabitmore manageablewhileyougettoknowthe ropes.

Seeifyoucanfindoutwhatsortof accommodationisonoffer;wouldahouse orflat-sharebeanopportunitytomake friendsmorequicklythanalargeuniversity hallofresidence(althoughmanyhallsare noworganisedinto‘flats’).

Behonestaboutyoursocialskillsandplan aheadtomakethisbigstepalittleeasieron yourself.

Overall,auniversitydegreeisaverypositive experienceforaverylargenumberof people.Friendshipsformedatuniversitycan oftenlastalifetime,forexample,andthere areregularlysurveysthatshowpeoplewith degreesearnmoreovertheirworkinglife thanthosewhodon’t.However,beingsure thatyou’regoingtouniversityfortheright reasonsforyouisthebestwaytoensure youwillgetthemostoutofit.

Missioncriticalscience andengineering

Formorethan70years,theAtomicWeaponsEstablishment(AWE)hasbeenatthe heartofthenucleardefenceandsafetyofourcountry.Today,AWEemploysaround 6000peopleacrossfoursites,undertakingsomeofthemostvitalwork,insupportof themostimportantmission–keepingthenationsafe.Theyhavesomeofthemost advancedresearch,designandproductionfacilitiesintheworld.

AWEregularlyrecruitapprenticestobecomethenextgenerationofscientists, engineers,technologists,machinists,designers…andpeoplethatsupportsomeofthe mostuniqueandcomplexfacilitiesandoperations.WespoketotwocurrentAWE Apprenticestofindoutwhattheyenjoyabouttheirroles.

IchosetoworkatAWEbecausetheyoffereda DegreeApprenticeshipinManufacturing Engineering.Whenresearchingforan apprenticeship,AWEstoodoutfromtheother employersasitprovidedagoodlevelof experienceinthemanufacturingindustry.

TellusaboutyourtimeatAWE?-Whatdo youdo?

Thefirst18months,Igainedalotof knowledgeaboutthebusinesstosupportmy apprenticeship.Ispentalotofmytimewithin theSkillsAcademywhereIlearnedthebasics ofTurning,MillingandHandFitting.Partof mytimeintheAcademy,Ilearnedhowtouse CNCmachineswhichisanimportantskill whengoingontothewiderbusiness.The SkillsAcademyiswellequippedforthe apprenticestraining,includingsupportive Instructorsandthereisalwaysplentytodo. Atthestartofourtimeintheworkshop,we weregivenapackofcomponentdrawings. Wereceivedalltherelevantinductionsofthe machinery,soweunderstoodhowtosafely operatetheequipmentintheworkshop.All theinstructorsarekeentohelpandensure thatweunderstoodwhatweweredoing. DuringmytimeintheSkillsAcademy,Imade acollectionofcomponentsandbytheendI wasabletoassemblethepartsintoafinished product.

Forthenextcoupleyears,Iaminvarious placementsacrossthebusiness,gainingthe experienceandknowledgetosupportmy apprenticeship.

What’sthebestthingaboutyourjob?

IfeelasenseofprideforthecompanyIwork forandtheworkthatIgettodo.Ithinkback atmytimeatAWEsofarandIamgratefulfor theexperiencesthatI’vehadandthepeople thatIhavemetandlearntfrom.Ialsoreally likethe9-dayfortnight.Thisallowsmetoget anextradayoffevery2weekswithoutusing upmyannualleaveallowance.

ApositiveofbeingaDegreeApprenticeisthat mydegreeisfullypaidforbythecompany. ThismeansthatIwon’thavetopayanything backifIchoosetocontinueworkingforthe companyafterIcompletemyapprenticeship.

Whyareapprenticeshipsimportantto AWE?Andotherorganisations?

Alargenumberoftheexistingworkforceat AWEjoinedthroughtheapprenticeship schemewithinthecompany.Bydoingthisthe

companycantrainandpreparestafftoa highlevelandensurethatfuturejobscan becarriedoutsuccessfully.

Whatadvicewouldyougivetosomeone thinkingaboutjoininganAWE apprenticeship?

Itisimportanttobehonest,trustworthy, anddependable.Itisvitalthatyoumake themostofyourtimeasanapprentice, learnfromyourcolleaguesandenjoythe experienceatAWE.

You’vegotthetalent,drive anddeterminationandareal desiretokeeplearning–and earningwhileyoulearn!

Universityjustmightnotbe therightoptionforyou.So, what’sthealternativetogive youthatstartinyourcareer?

WithanAWEapprenticeship, you’llbeontherightpathto becomingaskilled professional:whetherit’sin engineering,scienceorone ofthebusinessfunctions.

Formoreinformationabout apprenticeshipsatAWE,go toawe.co.uk/careers

HowlonghaveyouworkedatAWE?

2years

WhydidyouchooseAWE?Whatattracted you?

Ihavealwaysbeeninterestedinacareerin science.PriortomyapprenticeshipIattended collegeandcompletedalevel3extended diplomainforensicscience.Duringmytimeat collegeapresentationwasgivenby employeesfromAWE,andthisiswheremy interestfirstbeganinthecompany.

Whydidyouchoosetodoan apprenticeshipoverothercareerroutes?

IchosethePhysicsLabTechnicianLevel3 ApprenticeshipasIprefertobemorehands on,andIwoulddescribemyselfasavisual learner.Ilikethefactthatitisapracticalwork environmentwhereyouareearningawage whilelearning.Ipreferredthatoptionto universitywhereIwouldaccumulatedebtthat cantakemanyyearstopayoff.

WhydidyouchoosetodoanTellusabout yourtimeatAWE?Whatdoyoudo?

Icurrentlyworkasalabtechnicianapprentice withintheNDA(NuclearDecommissioning Authority)team.Ishadowandhelpother teammemberswithsettingupexperiments andanalysingthedatarecorded.OnceIam competentinthisarea,Iwillbeperforming experimentsaloneonspecificequipmentthat ourteamuses.Aftereachexperiment,a reportiswrittenonwhatwasdoneandwhy formyevidencefolderwhichiscompletedas partoftheapprenticeshipscheme.

IhavethoroughlyenjoyedmytimeatAWE whereIhopetoprogressfurtherthroughthe company.Ihaveseenandworkedinmany differentareasofsitesinceIstartedinAugust 2020,whereI’vebeeninvolvedinexperiments andbuildswithinseveralteamsorganisedas partoftheapprenticeshipscheme.

What’sthebestthingaboutyourjob?

IenjoythefactthateverydayatAWEis differenttothenext.Thereisalwaysworkto bedoneanddifferentexperimentstoget involvedin.TheteamsIhavepreviously workedinhad10to12memberswhere everyonehadtheirownworkandresearchto becompleting.

Whyareapprenticeshipsimportantto AWE?Andotherorganisations?

ApprenticeshipsareimportanttoAWEtohelp peoplestartacareerwiththeadvantageof beingtrainedbymentorsandsupervisorsto helpteachthewaysofAWEsuchas regulation,licenseconditions,healthand safetyetc.beforeprogressingwithinintothe company.

Whatadvicewouldyougivetosomeone aboutjoininganAWEapprenticeship?

IbelievethatAWEwasthebestchoiceforme andthosewhopreferlearningon-handson ratherthanaclassroomenvironment.

Natasha,Physicslabtechnicianapprentice

Acareerinthelandscape

SamstudiedUniformedPublicServicesatcollege,withaviewtojoiningthePolice whenheleft.However,atjust18,hewastoldhewouldneedmorelifeexperience beforehewouldbeconsidered.Lookingaroundforwaystogetthatexperience,he foundanapprenticeshipatHambrooks,ahorticultureandlandscapingbusiness.In thetenyearssincethen,Samhasrealisedthatperhapsthiswaswhathewas meanttodoallalong.Hetellsushisstory.

“InitiallyIfeltabitlostwhenmy‘planA’didn’t happen,butIhadheardabout apprenticeshipsandthoughtoneofthose wouldsuitmeinstead.Iwantedtofinda careerwhereIcouldlearn,sothatmixtureof workingandlearningfeltright.Ihadheardof Hambrooksasafriend’sDadworkedthere andIknewtheyhadbeenaroundawhile,so theyseemedlikeagoodcompanytoconsider.

“IjoinedtheirGardenMaintenanceteamand startedonaLevel2Horticulture

ApprenticeshipthroughSparsholtCollege,the specialistagriculturalcollegenearhere.I reallyenjoyedworkingintheoutdoorsand maintenancewasagreatwaytolearnfrom theotherguysintheteam.Afteraboutsix

months,theyneededpeopleinthe HambrooksLandscapingteam,soIshiftedto buildinggardens,ratherthanmaintaining them.Throughoutmyapprenticeship,itwas greattobeabletoseewhatIwaslearning aboutatcollegebeingappliedday-to-dayin myjob.

“HambrookskeptmeonwhenIcompleted theapprenticeship,andIworkedasan improveralongsidemycolleagueWayne.We gottoworkonallsortsofgardens,from smallerinstalls,likeaddingapond,towhole gardens,worththousandsofpounds.Aftera coupleofyears,whenIwasabout23,Iwas promotedtoteamleader,soIwasleadingon someofthoseprojectsmyself.

“Withallmyhands-onexperience,Iwas learningalotaboutwhatmakesa‘good’ garden,abouthowthehardlandscaping(like patios)worksaroundthesoftlandscaping(the plants),andIreallyenjoyedseeingthe transformationthatwecouldmaketo people’slives.So,whenanopportunitycame totransfertothegardendesignteam,Ididn’t hesitate!Istartedasadesigner/estimatoron apart-timebasis,aswestillneededpeopleon thebuildingsidetoo,butitbecameafull-time roleafteraboutayear.

“Now,mytypicalweekisagreatmixtureof tasks.MondaystoThursdays,Iwillworkon newdesigns,pullingtogethertheplansand costestimates,andIwilloftengoouttosee mydesignsthatarebeingbuilt.IlovethatI amthereforourcustomersrightthroughthe process,fromtheinitialdiscussionsabout whattheywanttoseeingthejobfinished.I haven’thadanyoneburstintotearslikethey doonthoseTVgardenmakeovershows,butI havehadpeoplegivemeahug,they’vebeen sopleased!FridaysisthedaythatIwillgoout withthebusinessownerNormantovisit potentialnewcustomerstotalkaboutwhat theywant.

“Myapprenticeshipwasdefinitelyabrilliant groundingforbeingadesignerasIthinkit helpsmedesignbetter,knowinghowa gardenwillbebuilt.Withsupportfrommy colleagues,IlearnthowtouseKeyscapeand CADdesign,sowecanproduceplanson computer.Ihavealsohadotherlearning opportunitieshere,fromgoingonacourseto learnaboutwildflowerturftogettingmy7½ tonnelorrydrivinglicence!Wearecurrently recruitingapprenticesandIlovebeingthe prooftothemofwhatcanbeachieved.I’m nowamanager,winningjobsforthebusiness worth£90kormore.

“Foranyoneconsideringacareerinthiskind ofjob,Iwouldsaygoforit.Forme,the opportunitytomeetsomanypeopleis probablywhatI’veenjoyedthemost,from colleaguestocustomerstosuppliersatsome ofthebigtradeshows.Itcanalsobeavery outdoorsjobofcoursebut,foreverywetday thereisalovelysunnyonetomakeupforit!

You’llalsolearnlotsofpracticalskillsthatcan bereallyusefulinlife.Ithinkgardeningis helpingtogivebackandmaketheworlda greenerplace.”

Physiotherapy:

helpingpeoplelivetheir bestlife

KitShillworksasaphysiotherapistinalocalNHShospital.Hereshe tellsusaboutherexperienceoftrainingandwhyshefindsthejobso rewarding,eventheemotionallytoughcases.

“Irememberthathorribleconversationat6th FormCollegeaboutwhatyouwantto‘BE’.I hadnoidea!IknewIwantedtoworkwith peopleoranimalsandnotinanoffice. Havinggonethroughthelistandworkedout whatIdidn’twant,theonlyjobleftwas physiotherapy!Ididn’treallyhaveanyideaof whatthejobinvolved,butbothmyparents aredentists,soIthinkthatprobably influencedmetowardshealthcare.Although I’ddonewellatGCSE,ItankedmyALevels(in biology,chemistryandFrench)soItookayear outtotravelanddoresits.Iappliedtothe universitiesthatwoulddoremoteinterviews andIwasacceptedatBradford.

“Thedegreecoursewasthreeyearsbut, actually,abouthalfofthetimeison

placementsofsomesort,actuallystartingto treatpatients.Forexample,justinmyfirst year,Ididfourweekssupervisedplacement thatreallyhelpedmegetasenseofwhatthe rolewas.Theuniversitytriedtogiveus experienceofthedifferentaspectsoftherole, includingneuro,respiratoryandMSK (musculoskeletal),andindifferentsettings–hospital,communityandvirtually-sothatyou haveanideaofwhateachislike.

“Inourfinalyear,wehadloadsoflectureson interviewtechnique,applyingforjobs,etc.,to helpuswithapplyingforourfirstjuniorrole whenweleft.Afteryoufinishyourdegree, mostofusstart‘rotations’ofabout6to12 monthsinaparticulararea,althoughthat dependsonhowtheNHSTrustyouwork

foroperates.Ifyoudon’tknowwhatyou wantto,it’sactuallyagreatwaytoexperience thevarietyoftherole.Youcanchooseastatic placementifyoualreadyknowwhatyouwant tospecialisein,butwewereencouragedto movearoundtogettheexperience.

“MyfirstroleafteruniversitywasintheneurobraininjuryunitinSouthampton.Ilovedit; theteamwereamazing,reallyinspirational.I wasluckyenoughtodomyfinaluniversity placementwiththem;itwasthefirst placementwhereitreallyclickedforme,soI washappytocomebackwhenIgraduated. Thepatientswereamazing,too.Iwas workingwithpeoplewhosufferedbrain injuriesasaresultoftrauma,somefrom strokeandsomedegenerative.Itwasa residentialhomesoitwasasifwewere treatingthemintheirownhome,some supported,somelivingmoreindependently. Whatevercausedtheirinjury,theresultwas eitheralackofmovementorcognitive impairment:somecouldn’twalk,some couldn’tswallow,othersperhapscouldn’tuse theirarms.So,ourrolewastooptimise functionforthemandhopefullytogetthem backtoindependencebut,ifnot,togetthem copingasbesttheycan.Sadly,somewill neverbeabletoliveindependentlysowehelp themrealisetheirpotential,tounderstand wheretheirlimitslie,sotheycanstillhavea fulfilledlifeinspiteoftheirinjury.

“MynextrotationwasatBradfordHospital, whereIspenttwoyearsworkingaround differentareas.Workingwithoutpatients,we wereseeingindividualswithphysical movementissueswhowouldcomeintothe hospitalforanappointment.Communitywas megoingtothem.Thesewereoftenelderly patientswhoaren’tsomobileandtheyoften presentedwithavarietyofissues,suchas lonelinessorlackofconfidence,aswellas whatIwastreatingthemfor.Ioftenfound thatIwouldbeinvolvedinorganisingother supportforthem,too.WorkinginRespiratory wasbackinhospital,splitbetweensurgery, medicalandpaediatric(children).Insurgery youmightbeonICU(intensivecare)dealing withpeoplewhohavehadanoperation.

Ioften “

foundthatI wouldbe involvedin organising other supportfor them.

Peopledon’trealisethatmuchof physiotherapyisaboutairwayclearance, particularlyifyouaren’tstrongenoughto coughaftersurgeryorillness,soIwouldseea lotofoesophagealandchestpatients. Medicinewasmoreaboutchronicallyunwell patientswithlonger-termillnesses.In paediatrics,weweredealingwithchildren withlotsofdifferentconditionswherethey don’thavethestrengthtocough.

“Whenmyboyfriendwasheadhuntedback downsouth,IfoundaplaceatWinchester Hospital,largelyingeneralcare,before findingapaediatricspecialismbackin Southamptonthatallowedmetomove arounddifferentareasagain.Istartedwith neuro-muscular,thenacuteneuro(spinal tumours,braintumours),thento orthopaedics(brokenlegsetc)thenoutpatient musculoskeletalforchildren.

“Ithenrotatedouttoalocalchildren’s hospice,NaomiHouse,whichoffersend-oflifeandrespitecareforchildrenandyoung people.Ireallydidn’tknowwhattoexpector

howI’dfeelbut,actually,therespitecareis amazing;youusuallyseereallysickkidsin hospitalbutweseethemlivingtheirbestlife, liketheyareonholidayandhavingdaysout. Theend-of-lifecareistoughbutaprivilegeto bepartofthosefinalmemorieswiththe family;theteamareamazingandprovideso muchsupporttofamilieswhohavelost someone.

“Mycurrentjobisinpaediatricsandneuromuscular,supportingpeoplewith neuromuscularconditions.Istillsupport NaomiHouseandItookonanextracontract tosupportadultneuro-muscularinhospital, too,soI’mquitebusy!

“Thereissomuchinvolvedinphysiotherapy; peoplethinkofitasjustaboutphysical movementbutthereissomuchmoretoit thanthat.Thebeautyofphysioisthatitisso broad,youcouldspecialiseorchange specialismifyouwantedto.Thereisno excuseforbeingboredandyourjobdoesn’t havetostaythesamefortherestofyour workinglife.

“Ialsoloveworkingaspartofateamwhich includesotherhealthprofessionals,like speechtherapists,occupationaltherapists, nurses,doctorsandpsychologists;aftera diagnosis,it’sateamapproach.Thenice thingaboutbeingaphysioinahospitalisthat wecanbetheoneswithabitmoretimethan somenursesordoctors.Ifsomeoneispoorly onaward,weperhapshavethetimetotake peopleoutsidetoseetheirvisitingpetorto

getanicecream.Wehavethetimetodothe extras–livingandbreathingisn’tenough.

“Tobeaphysio,Ithinkyouhavetobeagood communicator:youoftenhavetogetthe patientonboardwithwhatyourapproachis goingtobe,nevermindtheirfamilyandyour colleagues.Nodayisthesamesoyoualways havetobepreparedtolearn;therewillalways besomethingyouhaven’tcomeacross before.Ithinkitalsohelpstobeaproactive problem-solver.IshouldaddthatIhatethe sightofblood!Asaphysio,I’dsayyouhaveto beOKwithphlegmandvomitbutI’mnota fanofotherbodilyfluids.

“IhavechosentostaywithintheNHS,but thereislotsofscopetojoinaprivatepractice ifyou’dprefer.Youhavetohaveabusiness mindifyouwanttosetupyourown,and therearelotsofprivateclinicsyoucouldjoin. Physiosusuallyworkregularhours,rather thanshifts,withperhapstheoccasionaloncallsessionorweekend.

“Sometimesitcanbetoughandemotionally difficult.Whatisamazingaboutourteamis thatsupportisneverfaraway;ifyoudohave abadortoughday,thereisalwayssomeone tolisten.Whatgivesmethemostsatisfaction isthatI’vemadeachangeforsomeone,I’ve allowedthemtobethebestversionof themselvestheycanbe.Iliketofixthings; youcan’talwaysfixeverything,butyoucan usuallydosomethingtohelp,oryoucanfind acolleaguewhowill.”

TLevels–an employerview

TLevel(shortforTechnicalLevel)coursesareanalternativetoA Levels,Apprenticeshipsandotherqualificationsforstudents typicallyaged16to19years.Thefirstcollegesbegandeliveryof someTLevelsubjectsinSeptember2020,withmorecollegesand subjectscomingonstreamsincethen.WhatmakesTLevels differenttotraditionalqualificationsistheemphasisonmeaningful industryexperience;studentswillspendaround20%oftheirtime workingalongsidearealemployer.Wehavespokentoone employertoseehowtheyarefindingthenewqualificationsand howtheplacementsareworkingforthem.

HampshireandIsleofWightIntegratedCare System(ICS)isapartnershipofNHSandlocal governmentorganisationsworkingtogetherto joinuphealthandcareservicestoimprovethe healthandwellbeingofpeopleinthe communitiestheyserve.EmmaGotzworksas partoftheir+350NHSCareerseducationteam

andisresponsiblefororganisingand supportingTLevelplacements.

“NHSTrustshavereallyseenthevalueinT Levels,”explainedEmma.“Weseethemas thepipelineforourfutureworkforce.We havealotofvacanciesatthemomentandT Levelplacementsareagreatwaytoengage

withinterestedyoungpeople.Byengaging withthemearly,wehopethatwe’rebuildinga positiverelationshipwithfutureemployees.

“Inourarea,wearealreadyworkingwith studentstakingTLevelsinHealthcareand HealthcareScience.It’sarigorousareabut studyingthesesubjectsmeanthatthe studentshavealreadymadeacommitmentto them.Weareabletoofferstudentsareally meaningfulplacement,wheretheycanput whattheyhavelearntintheclassroominto practice.TheplacementsforHealthcareand HealthcareSciencecanincludeworkingin labs,midwifery,adultnursing,mentalhealth andmore.Wewouldliketoopenupasmany optionsaspossible,bothAlliedHealth professionslikephysiotherapyand paramedics,aswellasclinicalandcommunity healthcareteams.

“TLevelsinHealtharetheobviouslinktothe NHS,butwealsorecognisethatweareahuge localemployersoweshouldalsobeableto offerplacementsthatareexcitingand interestinginotherdepartmentstoo.Going forward,wehopetobeabletolookat catering,IT,marketinganddigital,business admin,estatesandfacilities(areaslike plumbingandelectrical)andevenfinanceand accounting.WewanttomapasmanyoftheT Levelsubjectsaspossibletoourbusinessso wecanofferexcitingplacements.Thereare morethan350differentcareersintheNHS, afterall!

“Intermsofthepracticalities,thecollegeswe areworkingwithprefertoorganise placementsinblocks,ratherthanonadayreleasebasis.Ihavetosay,intheNHSwhere manystaffworkashiftpattern,thattendsto workforusandthestudentstoo,sotheyget toknowtheteamtheyareworkingwith. Sometimesweaskthestudentstodoshiftsas welltomaketheexperienceasrealas possible.WeprefertotakeHealthand HealthcareSciencestudentsintheirsecond year,oncetheyhavesomeknowledge already,butIcan’tseethatbeingasnecessary withotherTLevelsubjects.

“Intermsofcareerprogression,TLevelsin HealthorHealthcareScienceseemtobe acceptableforanyoftheAlliedHealth professions,nursingandparamedics.It’snot yetbeingacceptedtostudypuremedicine. Ofcourse,youdoneedtohavedecentGCSE scienceresultsinordertobeacceptedonto theTLevelcourse;mostcollegesareasking forGrade5s.Thesciencecontentisrobuston theTLevel,soyoudoneedthecore knowledgethere.It’snottheeasyoption. AftercompletingaTLevel,wewouldhope thatthestudentswehaveworkedwithwill considergoingontodoaDegreeLevel Apprenticeship,afulltimedegreeinthisarea orcometoworkwithus.”

EmmaalsorecognisesthatworkingwithT Levelstudentsisgoodforhercolleagues,too. “It’sagreatopportunityforourstafftowork withyoungpeopleandtopositivelyinfluence them.Andwegainanextra,enthusiasticpair ofhands!”

TherearecurrentlythreeTLevelsin HealthandScience: •Health •HealthcareScience •Science

Formoreinformationoneachone,goto: https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/students/subjects

Tofindacollegeofferingthem,goto: https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/students/find

Tipsforrenting property

Hundredsofthousandsofpeoplerentproperty,eitheraroomorthewholeproperty,very happilysoitreallyisn’tthatdifficultorscary.However,itcanseemliketherearelotsof pitfallsanddangersyouneedtolookoutfor.Ifyou’rerentingforthefirsttime,here’sour adviceonquestionstoaskandthingstocheck.

“Howtorent”

TheGovernmenthaspublishedareallyuseful guidetopotentialtenantscoveringallthe importantthingsyoushouldknowabout rentingaroomoraproperty.Infact,it’sso useful,yourlandlordisrequiredtogiveyou anup-to-datecopyofitandgiveyouanew copyifyourenewyourtenancy(contract)orif theguideisupdated.Iwouldencourage everyoneconsideringrentingtoreadit thoroughly.It’scalled‘Howtorent’andcan bedownloadfromourwebsite, www.makethefutureyours.uk/howtorent Ithasadviceonlookingforanewhome, thingsyoushouldcheckbeforeyousigna tenancyagreementandwhattodoifthings gowrong.It’sworthnotingthatitdoesnot coverlodgers,peoplewhoshareahousewith theirlandlord.

Whotorentfrom

Therearetwowaystorentaproperty:either directlyfromthelandlordorthroughaletting agent,whoworksonthelandlord’sbehalf. Eitherway,theymustbemembersofa redressscheme,whichisanorganisationwho canstepinandsortoutanyproblemsthat couldarisebetweenyouandthem.They mustalsobepartofaschemethatprotects themoneyyoupaythem,especiallyyour

deposit.Checkthatwhoeveryouaregoingto rentfromisamemberofboththese schemes,andyoumightwanttoaskifthey alsohaveanyaccreditations.Makesureyou alsohavethelandlord’snameandanaddress inEnglandorWalestocontactthem.Donot payanyrentuntilyouhavethis!

Whotorentfrom

Therearetwowaystorentaproperty:either directlyfromthelandlordorthroughaletting agent,whoworksonthelandlord’sbehalf. Eitherway,theymustbemembersofa redressscheme,whichisanorganisationwho canstepinandsortoutanyproblemsthat couldarisebetweenyouandthem.They mustalsobepartofaschemethatprotects themoneyyoupaythem,especiallyyour deposit.Checkthatwhoeveryouaregoingto rentfromisamemberofboththese schemes,andyoumightwanttoaskifthey alsohaveanyaccreditations.Makesureyou alsohavethelandlord’snameandanaddress inEnglandorWalestocontactthem.Donot payanyrentuntilyouhavethis!

Deposits

Itiscommontopayadepositatthestartof yourtenancy.Thelandlordoragentmust keepthismoneysafeandpaysomeorallofit backwhenyouleave.Theymaykeepsomeof thedepositifyouoweanyrentorifyouhave

causeddamagetotheproperty.Ifyourrent islessthan£50,000ayear,themaximumyou havetopayasadepositis5weeks’rent.It’s importanttonotethatyoucannotbecharged tolookaroundapropertyortosetupa tenancy.

Whatyourlandlordwillcheck IntheUK,thelawrequiresyourpotential landlordoragenttochecktwothings:that youarewhoyousayyouare,andthatyou havepermissiontoliveintheUK.Therefore, youshouldexpectthemtoasktosee documentsthatproveyouridentity,for example,passportordriver’slicence,and,if youhavelivedelsewhere,anydocumentthat provesyouareentitledtolivehere.Theymay reasonablywanttotakecopiesofthese documents,buttheyshouldnotneedtokeep theoriginals.

Questionsyoushouldask

Whopaysthebills?

Itwillusuallybeyouasthetenantwhopays forthingslikeelectricity,gas,water,council tax,TVlicenceandanyotherrelevantbills,but itisworthchecking.Yourlandlordshould haveBuildingsInsurance,butyouwill probablyneedtoarrangeyouowninsurance foryourbelongings:ContentsOnlyinsurance.

Istheroom/propertysafe?

Checkforthingslikesmokealarmsoneach floorofthehouse,andacarbonmonoxide alarmiftherearesolidfuel(e.g.wood) burners,gasfiresorboilers.Checkthatlights andtoiletsareworkingproperly,andthat windowsandexternaldoorsshutandlock securely.

Ifrelevanttoyou,askifyoucanyou smokeorkeeppets

Doesthelandlordhaverulesaboutthingslike smoking,pets,keepingabike,rubbishand recycling.Youcanexpecttheretobesome commonrulesespeciallyinasharedhouseor HMO(houseofmultipleoccupancy).

Informationthelandlord mustgiveyou

Yourlandlordisrequiredtogiveyou,either paperorelectronicallyifthatsuitsyou,acopy ofanumberofimportantdocuments.

Theseare:

•AcopyoftheGovernment’s‘HowtoRent’ guide.

•Agassafetycertificatewhenyoumove in.Thisshouldbeupdatedeachyear whenthegasisservicedandifanynew gasappliancesarefitted.

•Paperworktoshowyoupaidadeposit andthattheywillkeepthemoneysafe.

•AnEnergyPerformanceCertificatethat sayshowmuchitcoststoheatandrun theproperty.ThisshouldsaybandEor higher.

•Landlordsarealsoadvisedtogiveyou thefollowingdocuments,sofeelfreeto askiftheydon’tvolunteerthem:

•Papersaboutelectricalchecksonthe property.Yourlandlordmustprovethat thelegal5-yearlycheckshavebeen done.

•Proofthatsmokeandcarbonmonoxide alarmsareworkingwhenyoumovein.

Signingthepaperwork

Whenyouarehappywithyour decisiontorent,youwillbeaskedto signtwodocuments.Theseare:

ATenancyAgreement

Readitcarefullyandonlysignitifyou understandwhatyouareagreeingto.Askfor adviceifthereisanythingyouarenotsure about,forexample,fromCitizensAdvice www.citizensadvice.org.ukIfyouareunhappy withtheagreement,thelawsaysyoucan changeyourmindandthelandlordmustgive backyourdeposit.Makesureyoukeepa copyofthetenancyagreement.

AnInventory

Theinventoryisalistofeverythinginthe property,frombookshelvestofridges.Check itbeforeyoumoveinandtakephotosto showwhetherthingsaredamagedornot. Thiswillhelplaterif youandyourlandlorddisagree.Signthelistif youarehappywitheverythingandkeepa copy.Yourlandlordcannotchargeyouforthe inventory.

Happyrenting!

Remember,mostlandlordsandlettingagents arelovelypeople.Theyjustwanttofindnice tenantswhowilllookaftertheirpropertyand earnthemalittleincome.Theywillexpectyou tohavelotsofquestionsabouttheproperty sodon’tbeshyofaskingthemanything.I knowfromexperiencethatahappytenantis morelikelytobeagoodtenant!

Nikkiboughtherfirstpropertyto solveaveryrealproblem;hersonat universitycouldn’tfindadecent roomtorent.Severalyearslater, Nikkinowownsahandfulof propertiesinherareaandenjoys renovatingandrefurbishingthem.

Shelikestothinkherhouses‘aren’t justmagnolia’andhaveabitmore personalitythantheaveragerental. FindoutmoreaboutNikkiat www.moxeyproperties.co.uk

NikkiMoxey landlord

focusonskillsforlife.I wouldagreethatithas

givenmemanyoftheskillsIhave neededtogettowhereIamnow.I alsothinkitinfluencesthekindof teacherIam.Ibelievethatyoung peopleneedtogrowupbeing giventheskillstopreparethem fortheworldinwhichtheywill live.BothScoutingandteaching enablemetosupportthis. James,Secondary

Whatis marketing?

Manypeoplethinkofadvertisingwhenwetalkaboutmarketing. Whilethatispartoftherole,marketingcoverssomuchmorethan that.It’salsoverytruethatdigitalandsocialmediachannelshave seenarevolutioninthetoolsavailable.Here’soursummaryofwhat marketersdoandtheskillsyoumightneedifyou’rethinkingabout enteringtheprofession.

“Marketingisthemanagementprocessfor identifying,anticipatingandsatisfying customerrequirementsprofitably”orthat’s howtheCharteredInstituteofMarketing(the CIM)defineit.TheCIMisthelargest associationofmarketingprofessionalsinthe worldsotheyshouldprobablyknow.But, whilethisisusefulasaquicksoundbite,it doesn’treallybegintodescribewhat marketingpeopleactuallydoeveryday.

Marketingasabusinessdisciplinereallyonly begantofinditsfeetinthe1950swhen consumerspendingpowerbecameworth competingfor.Marketersrealisedthatit wasn’tenoughtosaythat“ouricecream

tastesthebest”,youalsohadtogettheprice right,andwhereyousolditright,andgetthe packagingright,andthatyouadvertiseditin therightplaces.Understandingwhatyour customersneededandthenconvincingthem youhavethesolutionseemedtobethe answer.It'sprobablyfairtosaythatmost marketershaveaninterestinhuman psychologyor,atleast,whatmakestheir customerstick.Andasconsumershave becomemoresophisticated,somarketers havehadtouptheirgametokeepup.

Perhapsthefirsttaskthatmarketersneedto bedoinginordertoselltheirproductor serviceismarketresearch:Isthereanyone

whowillbuywhatwecansell?Ifnot,what canwesellthatpeoplewanttobuy?Market researchmethodscanvaryfromthingslike tastetestsandfocusgroupstomystery shoppersandonlinesurveys.Conducting researchinanorganisedwayisoneskill, interpretingtheresultsisanother.Thiscan oftenbewherealoveofdetailand spreadsheetscomesintoitsown;most marketersloveto‘crunchsomenumbers’to seewhattrendsorpatternstheycanfindin theirdata.Thosepatternstheninform decisionsgoingforward,fromwhatcolour shoulditbetohowmuchshouldwecharge. Withthearrivalofdigitalplatforms,everypost becomesaminipieceoflivemarketresearch, thatwecanrecordandanalyseforresults.

Havingidentifiedthatyouhavesomething thatwillsell,marketersthenneedtogoabout promotingit.Aswellasallthetraditional methods:billboards,magazineadverts,direct mail,sponsoringasportsteam,celebrity endorsementandsoon,thedigitalexplosion ofthe21stcenturyhasprobablyquadrupled themethodswehaveaccessto.Perhapsthe biggestchallengeforeverymarketeristo balanceoutwhichofthemaregoingtobe mosteffectivetoreachtheirpotential customers,howquicklytheywillworkand fittingthatallwithinthebudgetyou’vegot. Evensomethinglikefreepostsonsocial mediataketimetoproduce,soneedtobe allocatedacost.

Oncewehaveourmarketingcampaign roughedout,wethenneedtopopulateitwith images,videosandtextappropriatetoour messagesandthemarketingchannelswe havechosen.Thisisperhapswherethe traditionalcreativeorartistictypesareintheir element;draftingdifferentcolourschemesfor brandimages,settingupphoto-shootsor writingblogsandarticlesabouttheirproduct. Weneedtomakesurethatanycontentwe produceisappealingtoourtargetaudience sowemaygobacktoourmarketresearch skillsatthisstagetotestoutdifferentoptions.

Marketersthenneedtheorganisationalskills tomakesuretheirmarketingcampaign happensontimeandonbudget,monitoring activitiesastheyhappentoperhapsmake

‘live’tweaksastheygo.Andthentherewillbe theneedtoreflectonhowitallwentand whatcouldbeevenbetternexttime.Timefor adashboardorspreadsheetagain!

Increasingly,marketersareseenasthe expertsincommunicationsomarketing teamsinsomeorganisationsmayalsohavea roletoplayininternalcommunications keepingcolleaguesinformed,events, includingcharityactivities,andrecruitment.It istruetosaythatmarketingcontinuesto evolve,meaningthediversityofroles availablewithinmarketinghasexpanded, oftentobecomemoretechnicalandspecialist thantheyusedtobe.Marketingisanexciting andconstantlydevelopingprofessionwhich canofferhugevarietyandfrequentlearning opportunities.

Agencyvs.In-house?

Marketingspecialiststendtoworkeitherin acompany,promotingtheirservices,or workforanagency,whoarehiredbyother companies.

Verybroadly,thedifferenceis:

•Ifyouliketogetundertheskinofa business,workingin-housefora companywillprobablysuityoubetter. Youmaygetinvolvedinalltypesof marketingactivityfromeventsto websitedesignforthatorganisation.

•Ifyouwouldliketospecialiseina particulararea,forexamplepaidsocial media,youmightfindanagencyallows youtodothat.Youwilljustfocuson thisparticularaspectofmarketing,but forlotsofdifferentbusinesses.

Bothagencyandin-houseroles canoffervarietyandlearning opportunities,butperhapsin slightlydifferentways.

Skillstoday’smarketersneed orneedtolearn

Creativity –notnecessarily‘arty’but certainlytohaveaneyeforstyleand whatlooksgood.

Literacy –evenatweetneedstobe writtenbysomeonesogoodgrammar, spellingandvocabularywillbeabigplus.

Numberskills –youdon’tneedALevel FurtherMathstobeagoodmarketer, butyouwillregularlyneedtobalance budgetsoranalyseGoogleAnalytics stats,sobeingcomfortablewith numbersisessential.

ITSkills –usingdigitalandsocial platformshasmeantthatmarketers needsomeunderstandingofhowthese platformsoperate:youdon’tneedtogo

‘fullgeek’althoughtherearerolesin marketingwherethat’sessential, marketersneedanideaofhowtoday’s rapidlychangingtechnologyworks.

Teamworkandcommunication –Marketersdonotoperateinisolation; theywillworkwithteamsofpeople, fromproductioncolleaguestoagency staff.Andit’snotjustabouttellingthem clearlywhatyouwant,youneedtolisten toinformationorpotentialproblems thatareflaggedtoyou.

Organisation –marketersoftenneedto juggletheirday-to-dayworkwithevents orcampaignsontopofthat,sobeing methodicalandagoodmulti-tasker helps.

More than just glasses

You’ll know us for one thing but we’re so much more. Find out just how many opportunities we have for an amazing and rewarding career.