It’s National Careers Week, this week (7-12 March), so I asked my nephew Josh to write a blog about his work experience placement with me. Read on for his story…

A little bit about Josh

Hello! My name is Josh. I am currently studying at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) for Joint Honours in Media, Film & TV.

As a second-year student, I needed to do a work placement this year to help me decide potential future career paths. A placement would also give me much-needed skills and experience to thrive in a role in the media industry.

Due to the pandemic, my part-time job and travelling to and from Nottingham, I considered an online placement. That meant I could work from home and fit it around my university, job and travel commitments.

My auntie, Jane Rogers, happens to run her own marketing and PR business – so who better to ask for work experience? I would get an insight into what it’s like both working with media and managing your own business.

What I’ve done during my placement

Rather than fit everything into one week of full-time work, we’ve split my placement over three months. I’ve been doing a few hours a week, which has helped me support Jane better with her business too.

So far, I’ve tried my hand at video editing, designing web content and even writing this blog. All things I haven’t previously had chance to do or explore as much as I would have liked.

One of the first things I did was to source and create some social media posts, using content on Jane’s website. I needed to ensure my creations were attention-grabbing, clear and concise.

Next, I helped to design a couple of versions of a content planner, using Canva. Here, I sourced content, key dates and photographs. Then I sorted the layout, using Canva’s design tools to ensure a quality, finished project.

I’ve also had to learn how to adapt my writing from academic text to content suitable for marketing and the internet – shorter sentences and paragraphs for a start!

The most challenging part

The time I spent video editing was the most challenging yet rewarding. I had to come to grips with software I hadn’t used before and learn how to edit out sections of videos. Then I learned how to insert new sections and ensure the cuts I made were smooth and that the final product had a nice flow to it.

I ran into a few challenges along the way, such as converting the video into an accessible format, losing my progress due to internet connection issues, and trying to edit when the audio didn’t always match the picture.

Managing my placement

We’ve had fortnightly calls to keep track of my progress and discuss any support I needed. These have been incredibly useful and made me feel at ease with what I’m doing. Yet, having the freedom to make the edits and design choices myself has allowed me to develop my skills and understanding at my own pace.

What I’ve learned

Over the course of the placement, I’ve had a glimpse of what it’s like to work for yourself. I’ve learned how to make the best creative decisions and also how best to manage my time around university studies and a part-time job.

But most importantly, I have also discovered a keen interest in video editing and content creation. This is something I will most certainly keep in mind when thinking about my future career.

I am incredibly grateful to Jane for this opportunity, and I hope to work with her again somewhere down the line.

Look out soon for an Instagram interview with Josh! Find out more about my support for National Careers Week here and, if you know a young person, tell them about the virtual careers fair running this week!