On 1 May, our Marketing students had the opportunity to attend the Student Marketing Conference here at CCCU. It was a chance to connect with local employers, gain expert advice for life beyond university, and exhibit their professional posters to showcase their work over the last year.
We caught up with two companies who spoke at the conference - Sleeping Giant Media and Carleys - to find out why they choose CCCU graduates and what advice they’d give to our current students.
Sam – Sleeping Giant Media
“The great thing about CCCU graduates is that they’re already a part of the community. CCCU is just on our doorstep, and many of our current employers have studied with the Uni. I’m also a CCCU graduate, so it’s great that we can support the local community and each help each other out.
“We’ve received some of the best students we can ask for. The Marketing degree provides such a good foundation for graduates to come in, ready to learn. We’re able to give them more industry insight that adds to their theoretical knowledge, which is really valuable to us.”
Expert advice
“Firstly, get your socials up to date and work on your personal brand because we’ll be looking at them.
“Another piece of advice I’d give to students is to find something that sets you apart. This will show that you want to take that extra step into the professional world.
“So, whether that’s doing a course on Google Classroom or completing some LinkedIn training, both of which are free, this will highlight your willingness to learn and progress rather than thinking that your degree is enough.”
Connor – Carleys Chartered Accountants
“We hired David, our Marketing Executive, after he finished his Marketing degree with CCCU. He came with fresh ideas that he learned both within University and during his own time, which showed us that he really did have a passion for marketing.”
Expert advice
“Always be willing to learn because the degree is only the start and there’s a lot more to learn in the real world.”
David – CCCU graduate and Marketing Executive at Carleys
“My Marketing degree at CCCU was very reflective of the different areas of marketing, which is essential if you’re an in-house marketer.
"My degree was very practical. It really set me up for industry. We had modules that covered simulations for marketing campaigns and other areas of the industry, which were valuable. They gave you real hands-on experience with SEO, PPC keyword bidding, using GA4 etc. These skills set me up for industry because they’re integral to the job I have now.”
Expert advice
“Take advantage of all the opportunities that CCCU provides. You have a whole network of peers who know different things about marketing. Take different interests on board and learn about the different aspects of marketing from others.
"Also, don’t forget to enjoy the university experience! Whilst the degree itself is fun, it’s important to get involved with other areas of what’s happening at uni. There was always something interesting happening that students could get involved with, whether that was subject related or not. Just enjoy it!”
A huge thanks to our speakers for coming into campus to impart their expertise to our current students.
Here at CCCU, we appreciate that today, solely gaining a degree isn’t going to cut it. That’s why there’s always something happening for you to get involved in.
Whether you want to upskill alongside your course, join in with sustainability, or gain experience through Unitemps (to name just a few things you can get up to), there’s a lot that you can pursue as a CCCU student.