Name: Ellie Carpenter
Age: 22
Organisation & Description (sector, agency/inhouse, etc): All Spring Media
All Spring Media is a training provider that supports an inclusive and diverse workforce into the Screen Industries through various entry-level and CPD programmes, predominantly in production-related roles. My role at All Spring Media is working in-house as the Marketing and PR Coordinator.
What were you doing before your apprenticeship?
I was already working at All Spring Media before deciding to do the apprenticeship.
What attracted you to the PR Apprenticeship?
After having briefly worked in social media marketing, I wanted to change my career but wasn’t sure of the direction I wanted it to take. I attended an online digital marketing webinar with a guest speaker who spoke about their career and experiences as a former PRCA apprentice. This is where I first heard about PR and immediately loved the concept of it, so I did some research and spoke to my manager about the possibility of doing the apprenticeship.
What was the highlight of your PR Apprenticeship?
When I realised the transition from relying on my manager for guidance to taking ownership and responsibility of my workload. This was a result of the knowledge and skills I gained from my training with PRCA. I also loved the in-person training days and PRCA events!
What do you feel your apprenticeship helped you achieve?
The apprenticeship taught me so many new skills and gave me insights into the PR industry that I implement into my own work and will take forward with me throughout my career. The apprenticeship provided me with new experiences and has developed my confidence massively.
What was the biggest challenge that you overcame?
My biggest challenge was improving my time management to ensure I was attending training, submitting assignments and completing my normal workload on time. However, I had lots of support from my manager and assessor who kept me on track to achieve a distinction in my end point assessment.
Top 3 skills a PR Apprentice needs:
· Communication
· Initiative
· Creativity
I love PR because… there are endless opportunities for new campaigns that really do make a difference for brands and their audiences! I love working in communications and seeing the long-term results and benefits PR brings for businesses.
What are your next steps?
After completing the apprenticeship, I am excited to take on more responsibility in my role at All Spring Media. I will continue my learning and make the most out of any opportunities that come my way.
CAMPAIGN SPOTLIGHT
Describe a campaign you were involved in and the activities you performed to bring it about. What made it exciting?
I led a campaign to raise awareness of All Spring Media’s “Moving Up to 2nd AD” Skills Bootcamp. I was heavily involved in all stages, including the planning, research, content creation and copy writing, delivery, and evaluation, while working with the rest of the team. Through my own efforts, I got a story featured in one of the biggest trades for film and TV. The campaign was successful and was the first one I led where I felt fully confident in my abilities.