Lydia Roberts

• Placement role: Regional Events & Marketing Intern
• Employer: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

What were the benefits of undertaking a placement year?

It’s allowed me to apply the theory and practices I learnt in the first and second year of university to a live, dynamic role and business. I’ve gained insight into how a business operates, the different departments within it, and taken a deep dive into a variety of topics, such as marketing, events, finance and data analytics.

What employability skills have you developed from your placement?

The placement has been amazing in developing general skills needed for a corporate job, such as communication, working to deadlines, adaptability, working across multiple tasks simultaneously… and so much more! Additionally, I’ve gained many skills necessary to a marketing role, including liaising with an external events agency, planning and executing activations, reporting key performance indicators, using CRM systems to segment, analyse and gain insights from consumer data, and working with a finance budget and system. This has given me employability skills that allow me to confidently enter the workplace as a marketing executive or junior.

What advice would you offer students applying for a placement?

Know that the hard work you’ve put in to apply to so many placements and go through the interview stages will be worth it. You’ve been selected for a reason, and your team want you to enjoy it. Think about the skills you already have, and the gaps you’d like to fill, and how the company you’ve chosen can support that. Don’t be afraid to say you have lots to learn, as often placement companies want to bring someone onboard who’s up for a challenge, eager to learn, and asks questions! Finally, enjoy it – it’s an amazing experience that will fly past before you realise, so grab every opportunity offered to you.

What do you feel was the biggest achievement / highlight of your placement year?

Watching my growth, knowing I’m beginning to work at the level of a full-time marketing role and heading back to university with positive feedback from my whole team. My personal highlight was supporting with a new product launch in Barcelona, spending six days welcoming clients and working with my team to pull off an incredible, exclusive experience for our clients.

How do you feel your placement year will help you in the future?

It’s left me with an abundance of transferable skills and valuable industry experience to take with me into my future career. I’m more confident in my marketing abilities and feel more prepared to return to university for my final year. I feel there are so many more experiences to come, where I will apply learnings from my internship, and be able to reach out to the network I’ve built through my placement.