Testimonials
SOTA300 Placements - Hear from Ema who completed her SOTA300 placement at the Future Yard music venue in a Sound Technician role. Following her placement, Ema was kept on in the role in a paid capacity, and has now gone onto work full time in the music industry.
Hear from Anoushka who completed her placement with local charity Wirral Unplugged, writing grant applications to secure funding for the charity.
Alice Burns, SOTA300 student
“My time as a SOTA300 student was spent as one of the Poetry Publishing Assistants at Liverpool University Press and it provided invaluable experience within the publishing industry. It proved to me that the skills I developed over the course of my degree in English Literature could not only be applied to a broad spectrum of careers within the industry (such as Production, Editing, and Marketing), but that publishing jobs actually existed outside of the London-centric model. I now work at Liverpool University Press in the Journals Marketing team, managing our Literature, Science Fiction, Culture and Religious Studies journals and it was the SOTA300 module that gave me the experience I needed to get there. Do not hesitate to choose this module; even if you pick a placement within an industry you might not have previously considered, just having a year's worth of hands-on experience will make you instantly more employable. You won't regret it.”
Lucy Mason, SOTA300 student;
“I am a final year student studying Communication and Media (BA) at the University of Liverpool. When I heard about the SOTA300 placement module in my second year, I was really keen to secure a placement in the marketing industry. I aspire to pursue a career in digital marketing after graduation so I felt that the experience I would gain on the placement would be invaluable in boosting my employability skills and help me when applying for jobs.
Having not undertaken a year in industry alongside my degree, I felt I had missed out on developing practical industry skills that are desirable to employers. I believe that the SOTA300 Placement Module is a great opportunity for students that are looking to upskill, step out of their comfort zone and get their foot in the door of the creative industry. I would encourage all students in a similar position to apply!
The SOTA300 module gave me an authentic feel of the real world of work from the application process through to the completion of my placement work. On my placement with the University of Liverpool Global Opportunities team as Marketing and Events Assistant, I was assigned the task of producing a marketing report for the promotion of study abroad programmes at the university to inbound students. This involved carrying out competitor analysis of universities in the UK as well as consumer analysis of international inbound markets before compiling relevant marketing strategy recommendations that would be implemented by the team. I found my workload to be really manageable alongside my coursework and my placement supervisor was extremely supportive.
As well as the work experience placement, the SOTA300 module provides a great opportunity for students to reflect on skills development. I have seen a huge improvement in my time-management and problem-solving skills. The module has helped me communicate the skills and experiences I have developed through the application of academic concepts. I have found this massively useful when applying and interviewing for graduate jobs.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the SOTA300 placement module and am now more excited than ever to pursue a career in an industry I am passionate about!”
Bright Ideas Enterprise Scheme - Hear from Bright Ideas student Callum who was able to grow his Art business through the programme and even ended up working on a large commission for us, designing many of the graphics you see on this Canvas page and all of our promotional materials.
Year in Industry - considering a year in industry? Hear from Communications and Media student Lucy Parfitt who had a year long internship with Johnson and Johnson as part of her degree.
Film Buddy - read below a testimonial from one of our previous Film Buddy students who was able to secure paid work on the sets of shows produced by BBC and Sky
“Since signing up to Film Buddy in my third year of University I was immediately exposed to so many recourses informing me about the film/television industry. This was not only online information but also the opportunity to be in contact with the helpful people working at Film Buddy. The best thing for me personally about using Film Buddy has been the constant contact I have had with Ben Sweet; I have been able to email and chat to him on the phone regularly which has enabled me to massively improve my CV and understanding about the industry. This has consequently led to me getting paid work on three different big studio productions, these include a new tv show created by Sky Studios, a program created for CBBC and a well-known BBC tv drama. I am so grateful to the guys at Film Buddy and am very excited to see what I can do next with my career in film and television!”
- Ben Barter
You can read here about another of our Film Buddy students who completed work experience on the set of hit Netflix show ‘It’s a Sin’.
My SOTA300 placement was at Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, one of my tasks was to produce a report on the expansion of Legal Aid for separated migrant children. This was then uploaded to the GMIAU website and social media pages. Although my placement has finished, I still volunteer at GMIAU, running some of their social media. I have continued with my writing and have a fantastic platform to share it on. I am currently covering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I highly recommend the SOTA300 placement module, it is a great way to gain practical experience in your field of interest, opening doors to further opportunities!
Max Goddard - SOTA300 student
Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit
For those who haven’t had access to a professional working environment or are looking to explore a sector of work they are interested in, I couldn’t recommend SOTA 300 more.
The possibilities of completing a placement are not restricted to the skills you can gain, but it can also directly affect the future of your career, as I was offered a job at Red Cow Media at the end of my placement.
Being able to choose a module that you can completely tailor to what you are wanting to do in the future is a brilliant opportunity that shouldn’t be overlooked. This isn’t just a placement but an overall experience that helps you grow as a professional as well as a person and I’d fully recommend it to anyone who is considering taking the module.
Chloe Humphreys – SOTA300 student 2019/2020
Digital Marketing Intern at Red Cow Media
I would thoroughly recommend choosing this module if you're wanting some work experience, without taking a whole year out of your studies. It's flexible, easy to manage as long as you're prepared and organised and it is incredibly rewarding once you finish your placement as it gives you a better perspective on your career potential and development.
Hannah Percival – SOTA300 student 2019/2020
PR Assistant at Ubiquity PR
I would 100% recommend applying for the SOTA300 module. The experience and skills I have gained through the work are ones that will be with me for life and I feel very fortunate to have been involved in such an amazing organisation
Ashley Huntsman – SOTA300 student 2018/2019
Marketing Assistant at Collective Encounters
SAE Institute Live Lounge by Dayana Turmanova (BA Popular Music)
Alice and Beth with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
Alice and Beth discuss their expectations for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain Inspire work placement.
“I must also commend the [SotA300 Work Placement Experience module] itself. I think this is an excellent example of how employability can be incorporated into degrees in subject-sensitive ways”
External Examiner, 2016-17
“During my time at University, I completed the SotA300 Work Placements module as part of the Lunchtime Concert Series within the Department of Music. I thoroughly enjoyed and embraced the role and have been sad to leave it behind.
It’s been very rewarding to work with local and international musicians and to watch the series grow to the professional platform it is now. I am honoured to have been part of providing a cultural outlet which is celebrated through the University and the city of Liverpool. I look forward to working in the Arts, I am very passionate about keeping the Arts alive!”
Lydia Ward, Music Graduate 2016
“Whilst at Liverpool University Press (LUP), I was a Publishing Assistant, and my role was to bring a publication to market and to be involved in every step of the process.
The biggest highlight of the whole experience was being handed a physical copy of each of the two poetry books that I published, as it was rewarding to see the product of my hard work.
This placement has greatly affected my career plans. Prior to this work experience I had no intention of entering the publishing industry and did not know what it was that I wanted to do. My career plans and aspirations now are to enter the publishing industry.
I am enthusiastic about publishing not only because I love books, but also because I have realised that I love the business side of producing and selling books and it is something that really excites me.”
Toni Budden, BA English