So, let’s go back to the very beginning. In September fellow students and I embarked on our young enterprise journey as mostly strangers and no idea how to run a business. Fast forward a few months we had a product, an educational colouring book and a team name of ‘colourful adventures’ and we were running our very own business.  After many long hours of dedication to our business we progressed with winning local competitions including regionals and county finals, we eventually found ourselves in the UK Young Enterprise Nationals competition which included the best of the best teams out of almost 1000 young enterprise companies. It was a truly enlightening experience, we were awarded UK Company of the Year runners up award, finishing 2^nd out of the entire UK, allowing us to be the highest ranked team in all of England. However, it doesn’t end there as my team and I are making a new educational colouring book in collaboration with Young Lives vs Cancer with support of Keepmoat homes. Allowing us to print 1000 books with new stories including young people living with cancer, to be distributed amongst Hull and Leeds hospital. This journey has also allowed me to develop my communication skills with working with new people in a team as well as resilience as I learnt how to overcome setbacks as things don’t always go your way in the business world. Throughout this journey, I’ve met and talked to people whom I wouldn’t have ever spoken to if not for young enterprise. Lastly, this journey will help me in the future with understanding how a business operates and being able to work well with new people.

One of the most exciting outcomes of my young enterprise journey was meeting Martha, Director at Source MC. I first met Martha at the Young Enterprise West Yorkshire Regionals competition, in which she was a judge, I later found out she’s a director at the marketing agency Source, as a person who is highly interested in the marketing industry I knew if I saw her again, I would have to ask about marketing. One month later, after my team successfully won the Young Enterprise County Final in York, I met Martha once again as she was a guest at the event. I had to strike the question, I asked, “What is the best way to get into marketing” and where to do work experience, as if you don’t ask you don’t get. Martha responded, “You ask me to come to Source”.  After the event we managed to arrange work experience at source so I can see first hand how the marketing world works, here I am today learning everything marketing at Source.

During my experience at Source, working in a fast-paced marketing agency, I have done tasks such as producing monthly analytic reports for clients to writing press releases. Through this experience, I’ve now understood the significance of clear communication, benefits of great project management within the industry, also how to utilise and apply analytical data for clients. I have enjoyed being involved in a thrilling and collaborative workplace environment, with each day I’ve been presented with new tasks and learning opportunities. I have truly experienced the marketing world, highlighting to myself the differences between learning about marketing in a classroom to an actual marketing workplace. In addition, gaining a feeling of accomplishment with doing my work experience with Source as I had the opportunity to do tasks such as making analytical reports for clients at Source. To conclude this experience whilst challenging was fulfilling, I learnt about the complexity of marketing strategies and communication with clients. Working in a real marketing workplace on real marketing projects has been truly enriching.

Looking ahead of this experience, I’m going into my final year of college, meaning focusing on my A-level exams. It most likely will be a highly demanding year, however I’m excited to take on the challenge of exams and studying, to achieve great results at the end.

In addition to my studies at college, I have also been accepted onto an international placement with Project Trust. in which I will be volunteering in Cambodia working as a teacher in deprived areas to make a real difference for students with delivering excellent teaching in subjects like maths and English which they can utilise in their future, no matter what they do. For this opportunity I need to fundraise £7,450, so if you want to help me, so I can help the less fortunate future generations any fundraiser ideas or support would be gratefully appreciated.