Graduate Intern writes about her year with Creative 91直播
Recent graduate of BA History and Art History Gweni Matthews joined the Creative 91直播 team in August 2023 as part of the 91直播 Graduate Talent scheme. In this blog she writes about her experience.
My name is Gweni Matthews, and I am the Creative 91直播 Graduate Intern as a part of the 91直播 Graduate Talent scheme. I work within the Communications and Engagement team in the Creative 91直播 Hub.
Creative 91直播 is one of four research platforms at the University of Manchester, supporting interdisciplinary research and championing creativity.
Creative 91直播 collaborates with cultural institutions and organisations across Greater 91直播, providing me with insights into more than just University administration. Through my time at Creative 91直播, I have developed a diverse skill set that will be transferable to future roles. My responsibilities include managing events, social media, communications, and the daily administrative and clerical operations of the research platform.
After graduating with a History and Art History degree in July 2023, I was uncertain about my career path. I鈥檝e always been drawn to the heritage and cultural industries but was put off, assuming they were somewhat inaccessible. Discovering the Creative 91直播 role through Career Connect was a relief, offering a way into my desired industry.
Having previously worked in hospitality roles throughout my time at University, this role has been a useful introduction into a professional workplace. I have broadened my interpersonal skills through engaging with various stakeholders such as artists, Professional Services staff, the public, researchers and students.
Initially, I found this new role rather intimidating, but I quickly adapted by transferring skills from my degree and hospitality experience. The supportive Creative 91直播 team helped me grow confident in my role, allowing me to take ownership of projects such as creating Instagram reels and a social media stats dashboard. The length of the scheme being 12 months has allowed enough time to be able to fully develop and grow confident in these new skills.
I gained valuable insights and hands on experience through running successful marketing campaigns, leasing with other teams inside and outside of the University, creating and commissioning event collateral, creating engaging social posts, conducting audience research and undertaking email marketing. I have also had the opportunity to improve my skills with various systems Including various projects on Excel and using Premier Pro to edit videos. I feel confident in being able to transfer these skills to a variety of different roles in my future career.
What I have enjoyed the most is the events side of the role. This has been exciting and varied, with frequent events at venues across 91直播 like , and .
Through the events and research we convene I have learned how creativity can improve health at our events such as 's Music Cafe鈥檚 and our International Women鈥檚 Day Celebration looking at Muslim Women鈥檚 wellbeing and creativity with .
Additionally, I have been involved in setting up the CreaTech Network across Greater 91直播. Being a part of the events administration and delivery of these events proved exciting and rewarding. We have also contributed to a range of literary events with figures like and which have been really exciting to get involved in. The range of events and activities we partake in have also offered vast opportunities to network.
Creative 91直播 sits within the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, which does a lot of work for staff well-being. I contributed to the school's EDI and Wellbeing Committee, organizing events such as a Creative 91直播 coffee morning. The University's hybrid working charter also promotes a healthy work-life balance.
This role has allowed me to choose areas for skill development through new tasks and training. Weekly one-on-one meetings with my line manager help me stay on track and identify areas for growth. I have undertaken training courses through the University, LinkedIn Learning and the including courses on MS Excel, Photoshop, marketing and accessibility.
I was fortunate to attend the AMA Conference 2024 in Brighton, which provided an opportunity to network with individuals across the sector. I attended several insightful talks including one on accessibility, trans inclusivity and social media branding amongst others. I feel confident in being able to bring forward these skills into future posts.
My year as an intern at Creative 91直播 has equipped me with the tools and knowledge to advance in my career. The MGT scheme has been an excellent opportunity to transition into the professional world after graduation.