UNIVERSITY graduates have been helped to kick-start a career in communications with the help of a multi award-winning Ilkley-based public relations consultancy.
Approach PR hosted a careers day as part of the Go Graduate Opportunities Programme designed to inspire graduates to consider a career in public relations.
Led by senior account manager Katy Barraclough and account executive Anisha Mistry, the event provided practical advice on progressing in PR , how to impress at interviews and how to compile a creative work portfolio .
Anisha said: “While Katy and I both work in the same team at Approach, we have arrived at our current positions via quite different routes. Katy began her working life in in-house charity PR following a degree in linguistics while I began my career in fashion PR, after graduating in fashion, media and promotion.
“We wanted to share our relevant experiences with the graduates to illustrate how a career in PR is possible with a variety of creative backgrounds.”
One of the participants Adeeba Zahoor graduated from the University of Bradford with a degree in English and an MSc in management.
She said: “It was great to get an inside look at a busy PR agency - one which is highly-respected in the region.
“As a graduate, the GO programme has been invaluable in giving me, and many other recent graduates, useful tools and advice to help us secure jobs in industries like PR. My time at Approach PR was hugely beneficial and gave me many ideas and a lot of motivation to help make a career in PR a reality.”
The Government-funded GO programme is delivered by C&K Careers, the University of Bradford, the University of Huddersfield and Bradford-based Aspire-i to help job hunting students and graduates. Employment project leader, Nyree Cluderay, of Aspire-i, is hoping to build on the programme’s 2014 record which saw more than 70 per cent of participants finding work.
Nyree said: “As the Aspire-i mentor of the GO project I am continually striving to find exciting opportunities for employers and graduates to work together in a way that is mutually beneficial. The graduates have such a positive outlook and lots of skills they can offer a business through work shadowing; they are very keen to grab any opportunity to enhance their CV and employability skills.
“The experience with Approach PR has proved very valuable for two graduates hoping to pursue a career in public relations and communications roles.”
The career day was initiated by business-education links body E3 Bradford which put Go Graduates in touch with Approach PR.
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