So far we've run three successful rounds of our Brightsparks Academy programme - a digital marketing trainee course aimed at anyone thinking about kick-starting a career in the field. Whether you are new to the job-market and are looking to gain practical experience or a parent looking to return to work after taking a career break to raise your family, Brightsparks Academy is the perfect opportunity to help you take the first steps into a career in Digital Marketing.
We recently sat down with our academy graduates to hear what they had to say about their time on the programme. Charlotte, a mum of two who attended our first-ever cohort, shares what Brightsparks Academy meant to her:
Q: Why did you choose to apply?
A: Both my children had just started school so I had more time to myself. It felt like a good time to start thinking about the future. I’d studied marketing at university but had been unable to begin a career due to ill-health, so this felt like a great opportunity to refresh my skills and pick up where I’d left off.
Q: What did you find most helpful during the academy programme? A: It’s hard to choose just one aspect of it, but I really appreciated getting feedback from someone whose professional opinion I valued. It improved my confidence to have someone recognise the skills that I had that I’d perhaps taken for granted or dismissed as being nothing particularly special.
Q: Did you feel like it lived up to your expectations? A: I’d say it surpassed them. I had expected to get an insight into digital marketing and gain vocational skills, but what I didn’t appreciate was how much the course would focus on building me as a person. It felt amazing to grow in confidence and to have other people in my life comment on how much happier I seemed in myself.
Q: What was the best thing you learned during the academy programme, that you didn’t know previously? A: I think I really came to understand that it’s never too late to start over: everyone can find something that they’re good at and build on that to gain new skills that can help them progress in a career - whatever their age!
Q: What was your favourite part of the programme? A: I found that I discovered skills that I never realised I had (or perhaps had forgotten I had), which really built up my confidence. I also really appreciated the practical skills I gained, such as learning more about graphic design, which meant that I could take my interest in art and use it in a professional capacity.
Q: Did you enjoy working with the other academy trainees? A: Yes, it was lovely to meet new people and be able to chat about our shared experiences. We all got along really well and supported each other through the course. Everyone was so lovely!
Q: If you could attend the academy again, would you? And if so, would you do anything differently? A: It was such a great experience that if there was a follow-up course offered I would definitely be applying!
Q: Did you find the work coaching aspect of the academy programme helpful, and if so why? A: Absolutely! Christine is approachable and empathetic and just amazing at getting people to recognise their strengths. Working with her was an absolute revelation in terms of my self-image.
Q: Did you feel prepared for entering a career after completing the academy programme? A: Yes. In fact I applied for a role in an agency and was successful. I’d never have been able to do that before I attended the academy.
Q: What would you rate the course out of 10? Explain why A: 10! It has changed my life so I can’t rate it highly enough.
Q: Can you give three reasons why you think someone should sign up for the academy programme? A: The course gives you a great insight into what it’s like to work in an agency, which means you get great experience that you can use to progress your career. That builds your confidence, too. It also helps you discover new things about yourself. So I'd say - in no particular order -
It’s confidence-building,
It gives you great agency experience
You really learn about your strengths.
We’re grateful to Charlotte for sitting down with us and sharing some great feedback about her time on the course. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with people like Charlotte and give them the tools they need to implement their newfound confidence in the workplace.
If you’re in a similar position to Charlotte and feel you would benefit from our Brightsparks Academy programme, don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing us at: hello@brightsparksagency.com