My first month as an intern at The Scott Partnership seems to have flown by! Oddly enough my first week coincided with National Internship Week (27th June -1st July) which celebrates all things internship related.
The combination of a variety of tasks and lovely colleagues has made it very easy to settle in so far. Even though the first week was made slightly more daunting by the fact I was due to receive my university results on my second day at TSP! Luckily it was good news and I received a 2:1 (Hons)!
Having just completed a 3 year degree in Marketing at the University of Lincoln, PR grabbed my attention as a career from the start. I knew I wanted an opportunity which would allow me to flex some creativity and get involved in as many aspects of the marketing communications mix as possible. An agency seemed an obvious choice, with the variety of integrated options they offer to a range of clients. The Scott Partnership specialises in science and technology companies, both areas have always been fascinating to me. Being able to combine this interest with my passion for marketing seemed like a great fit.
Alex and Scott the Rhino outside TSP HQ!
Interns play an important role within the PR industry and there is an ongoing campaign run by the PRCA to end unpaid internships. They have developed guidelines to help the industry and aspiring interns get the most out of opportunities to recruit young people into the industry. Results from a PRCA survey revealed that 70% of internships in PR and communications are unpaid. This is making the PR industry, which is populated with young people, less accessible to those who cannot work for free. The Scott Partnership is within the minority of agencies offering a paid internship program.
So far the internship has been miles away from the very book heavy theory of my degree, but the odd chime of familiar jargon like USPs helps me to feel at home. From my first day I was introduced to client accounts and began collating media coverage, drafting social media posts and contributing to brainstorming sessions for new campaign ideas. This helped me to feel like a part of the team and relax into my new role.
I’m really looking forward to assisting with content creation and outbound marketing for clients. Particularly to create brand awareness, as the importance of this really stuck with me during my degree. I would recommend an internship to anyone looking to start their career in PR and marketing. My experience at TSP so far has been great!
By Alexandra Walton, Intern at The Scott Partnership
