Work Experience: Jenade Webster-Watson

Six weeks ago I started my placement at Access Group Training Group Ltd and it has been nothing like I ever expected. I thought I was well equipped for the real working world, being a Communications and Media undergraduate from Bournemouth University. However, my time at Access Group has shown me that books and lectures only take you part of the way.

Access Group staff are lovely and had a genuine interest in my career path. Everyone has smiles for miles, as if that wasn’t enough I felt so welcomed to find out the role was specially tailored to suit me. Working as an Internal Marketing Assistant was interestingly varied and advanced well from my course teachings.

Access Group is a rapidly progressing business, this, however, can impact how communications are spread, as it becomes harder to keep track of who knows what. I met with Jackie Kennedy (COO) and we thought the introduction of a quarterly internal magazine would help to keep all staff in the loop.

Despite my nerves and reservations, Access Group was enthusiastic and trusted me with the big responsibility of producing the first edition of the magazine- Connected +. My role was to ensure that all staff in both the Bournemouth and London branch are informed of news they may be unaware of. By featuring articles from a wide spectrum of the business, we hope Connected + will transcend the city borders to bring the Access Group family together.

Being in a busy and dynamic environment, it was important to be flexible and adaptable especially when working around staff schedules and workloads. I spent the majority of my time working with the HR and Training Team but there was always a friendly and passionate Access Group around the corner.

Although, Connected+ was my main focus, I was given the opportunity to take part in exciting events that I’ve never done before. Such as the UCL Airport simulation game testing (thank you, Peter Phillips, Jackie Kennedy, Gemma Blackaller, and Team 5!). With fresh insight into the Induction program, I was encouraged to evaluate the current process and identify areas for improvement. During this time, Abi Pears (Marketing Manager) also encouraged me to review some of the Access Group platforms including the website, blogs, and social media footprint.

When the sunshine finally reached Bournemouth, I didn’t even feel like I was missing out, especially with treats like these to look forward to:

Unfortunately, we hit some bumps along the way and we weren’t able to Launch the magazine during my time here but all our hard work won’t go to waste and I have no doubt that we will see the finished product sooner than you think. Don’t fear, if I have missed you out (I’m sorry!) Connected+ is an ongoing project that anyone can get involved in so feel free to send Shaun Hickman a message to be a part of the Autumn Issue.

Joining Access Group has been an instrumental part of my personal development and I only wish I had the time to meet everyone during my time here. This placement encouraged me to come out of my comfort zone and challenged my capabilities in a range of topics. It has improved my confidence and developed my experience in writing and editing as well as marketing and graphic design.

Finally, I’d just like to give a big Access Group thank you to everyone that has made my experience one to remember!

 

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