An UNLOCKED creative future: one year on | El, John Doe Group Intern
Elroy Elvie, a final year International Marketing mature student reflects on his time as a year one UNLOCKED intern.
It is the cusp of spring moving into summer 2023, University deadlines are looming, I begin looking forward and suddenly realise that I have no idea what I am doing or what is next. Panic starts to set in, but this was only 3rd year so why was I worried?
The realisation that I had no clue how to navigate the industry outside of my course was quickly setting in. Would I find a job after I graduate? Is my degree enough to help me stand out from the crowd? Am I enough?
A good friend nudged me toward a brand-new initiative launching that summer. The UNLOCKED Internship Programme. After going through the application process and a minor waiting period I was given the news that I had been chosen as an intern for the year one cohort and had secured a placement with my first pick agency! Before I knew it, the internship start day had arrived, and all those previous doubts, the same ones that almost pushed me away from applying, came circling back around. Can I do this? What if I don’t know enough?
This time around I could not let those feelings settle in on me.
Myself, and another Intern (Amanda) were greeted so warmly by the team at John Doe as soon as we stepped in the office. We were shown around, introduced to everyone, set up and then hit the ground running.
We had work to do!
This included meetings to attend, being briefed on current and up-coming projects, filling and sending out gifting boxes, building media matrixes, doing influencer outreach and much more. You name it, we were involved.
My personal highlight was being able to attend and work at the Connect Festival in Edinburgh. Having an all-access pass, working alongside media and talent, and truly having the best seats in the house made me feel like a valued member of the team.
The learning curve was steep but the environment it happened in was so supportive it didn’t have the chance to overwhelm me.
Anyone and everyone was available to ask questions to or provide assistance at any time I needed it. Senior members of the team and Heads of Departments not only introduced themselves, but carved out time to explain who they are, what they do and even set us small tasks outwith the work we were doing for clients and company.
Overall, the UNLOCKED internship and John Doe gave me an incredible insight into the creative industry and the diverse world of marketing communications.
Although I knew I wanted to be involved with marketing it wasn’t until I was participating in UNLOCKED that I understood how broad that aspiration was, and it really helped me to streamline my thinking. I gained invaluable experience in PR, industry language and tactics, software, programs and even tried my hand in the design and studio department. I’ve learned how to work and communicate with brands and clients. Most notably, I realised that my passion was in the experiential side of marketing.
The UNLOCKED team and John Doe heard this and actioned it straight away. I was giving much more experiential assignments which helped to cultivate the trajectory I am now on.
All those fears previous to the internship still existed but became so small due to the support and reassurance of the people guiding me through the internship to the point they no longer held the same power over me.
For year two candidates to be, advice from someone who was once in your position:
Accept every challenge with a smile
Ask for help if you need it
Embrace the opportunity to unlock the best version of you
PS: a year later, I am now a permanent employee and am still greeted with the same warmth every time I interact with the John Doe or UNLOCKED teams.