Finding my feet in Birmingham and building a career in marketing

Choosing a university isn’t always a straightforward decision. Originally from a small town in Ireland, one BCU Marketing graduate found their place through Clearing. A year-long placement, student agency experience and a love of Birmingham helped shape what came next. Here, Stephanie shares her story.

Why I chose BCU

I knew I wanted to study marketing, but I couldn’t find the specific course I wanted close to home. I was still deciding where to go, so I ended up applying to BCU through Clearing.

The speed of the response and the communication made a real difference. Finding out that BCU offered an accredited marketing course helped win me over too.

I also loved the idea of studying at the City Centre Campus. Coming from a small town, I wanted to experience city life. Having so much on my doorstep was a big part of the appeal.

Getting experience alongside my degree

I loved studying at BCU, but my year-long placement as a Content Assistant at the university made my experience even better. It gave me the chance to put what I was learning into practice and build experience for my future career.

Alongside my studies, I also worked on the SMILE project, a student-led marketing agency. My task was to help market BCU’s Marketing course.

Working on different projects taught me how to manage my time, balance responsibilities and keep things moving. By the time I graduated, I already had experience of a professional working environment. That helped me feel more prepared for full-time employment.

Making Birmingham my home

I fell in love with Birmingham during my studies, so I decided to stay after graduating.

My first role was an internship in the marketing division at UCAS. I then moved into my current role as a Sales and Marketing Coordinator at Mazon Interiors and Mazon Flooring.

A lot of what I use at work connects back to my time at BCU. The marketing theories and principles gave me a foundation to build on, while my placement helped me understand how to apply that knowledge in a workplace.

Putting my marketing skills to work

My role involves a mix of planning, writing and supporting events. A typical day might include reviewing our active flooring and interior projects, planning educational content to promote the brand or writing our monthly newsletters.

My proudest professional achievement so far has been leading the marketing activities for our new Leamington Spa showroom. Seeing my work come to life has been incredibly rewarding.

I’m still building my career, and I want to keep developing my skills and doing work I’m passionate about.

My advice to current students

Don’t be afraid of hard work, whatever that looks like for you. You rarely regret giving something your best effort.

Take your assignments seriously, make the most of work experience and get involved during your placement. For me, putting the effort into those opportunities helped me feel ready for life after university.