Throughout National Careers Week, we are shining a light on various roles within our business and the range of routes our employees have taken to get to where they are. Meet Alicia, our Marketing and Communications Graduate.

Alicia was inspired to pursue a career in marketing after speaking to a family friend.

When it came to deciding her next steps after school, she decided to opt for a Digital Marketing Apprenticeship. She didn’t feel university was the best route for her at the time and wanted to gain valuable experience and responsibility.

Following the completion of her apprenticeship, she then decided to further her education at University, graduating with a First Class degree Honours in Marketing Communications in 2022.

After completing her degree, Alicia spotted an opportunity at Van Elle. Construction wasn’t her first choice of industry initially, however, after researching felt it was a challenging, varied, and interesting opportunity she wanted to pursue.

If you are interested in a career in Marketing, read more about Alicia’s career journey below. 

Tell us about your career journey so far.

After finishing school, I decided to get my foot in the door by completing a Digital Marketing Apprenticeship and gained a Level 3 qualification. Upon completing my 15-month long apprenticeship I knew a marketing career was something I wanted to pursue. To further my education and knowledge of the subject I decided to study at Sheffield Hallam University. This was a great experience, and I learnt a lot about the marketing industry.  I graduated with a First-Class Honours degree in Marketing Communications and Advertising in 2022, the same year I started my role as a Marketing Communications Graduate at Van Elle.

Tell us about your current job role/duties.

My job entails various different tasks through exploring, creating, and implementing projects that help promote the services of the business. This can include design work for the website and marketing collateral, writing copy and analysing our performance.

What does an average week look like for you?

The average week can vary between different tasks, one week I could be creating new and exciting campaigns for the business, and the next we will be reviewing analytical data. I get the opportunity to visit sites to gather content for case studies and news articles, as well as attend various industry events.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy how creative you can be and taking on the challenges to think outside the box. This job always requires you to take a new perspective.

What education or training do you need for your role?

For a role like this, all you need is experience. However, it does always help to have some form of marketing-related education behind you. This can be English A level, a business degree etc, there are so many different aspects to marketing, it just all depends on what interests you the most.

Why did you choose a career in construction?

Construction wasn’t my choice of industry initially, but this was because I wasn’t aware of the wide range of opportunities available in the sector. However, the idea of marketing within the construction industry sounded like a challenging and fun opportunity. So when the role came up at Van Elle I had to apply.

What are your career aspirations?

To continue to learn, progress and develop in my marketing career. I’ve still got lots to learn about the industry which I’m really excited about.

What advice would you give to somebody looking to get into the role?

If you are looking to get into marketing, always keep an open mind as there are so many routes available to go down. Keep on top of industry trends, and where possible always try to better your knowledge by completing online courses.

Visit our careers page for more information on Van Elle opportunities. For more information on career guidance visit National Careers Week.