To mark National Apprenticeship Week, Prolific North has teamed up with Manchester’s higher education disruptor University Academy 92 (UA92) to takeover our regular features this week.
To shine a spotlight on the next wave of creative and digital talent across the North, UA92’s digital marketing apprentice Georgia Cahill-Jones shares what she gets up to in a typical week as an apprentice…
Monday:
My Monday starts early to get everything ready for the week. I kick off every week with a 1:1 meeting with my direct line manager. We review what we did last week in terms of social content and then look at what’s going on for the week and discuss how we are going to do that, and then any challenges or areas where I need extra support. It’s always a good chance for me to ask any questions.
Next, I join the weekly catch-up meeting with the rest of the marketing team. We discuss ongoing campaigns, updates, and what’s coming up in the pipeline. It’s helpful to hear from different team members, especially as we’re all working towards the same goals but often have different focuses.
Afterwards, I focus on admin duties. I review the team calendar, assist in updating the content schedules, and make sure all the shared documents are up to date. Sometimes I also review analytics from previous campaigns to identify trends or areas for improvement. Keeping everything organised helps me stay on top of my workload.
The final part of my day is dedicated to brainstorming content ideas for the week ahead. I look at current trends, relevant topics, and anything from the marketing meetings that I can build on. I jot down a bunch of ideas, then refine and organise them before sharing with my direct line manager. Together, we decide which content will resonate most with our audience and set a plan for the week’s posts, blogs, and social updates.
By the end of the day, I feel like I’ve made progress on a few key projects, and I’m ready to dive into creating and scheduling content for the rest of the week. It’s a full day, but I always look forward to getting into the creative side of the job and collaborating with my team.
Tuesday
I start off my Tuesdays by catching up on any urgent emails or Teams messages that have come in overnight. Once I’m up to speed, I start with looking into social media admin tasks, reviewing and responding to messages on various platforms. This involves engaging with the community, answering questions, and ensuring that our brand voice remains consistent and friendly.
Mid-morning, I shift my focus to assisting in preparing merchandise briefs for upcoming projects. I collaborate closely with the brand marketing lead to review ongoing projects, discuss new strategies, and receive feedback. It’s a valuable opportunity to present new ideas and get guidance.
Post lunch I join the digital marketing team for a catch-up meeting. We discuss current campaigns, performance metrics, upcoming projects, and any challenges that need to be addressed.
The afternoon is dedicated to content creation, where I focus on either filming new videos or editing existing footage for our social media platforms. It’s essential to ensure that the content is visually appealing and aligns with our brand’s tone and style. I make this a priority for the second half of my day, as on Wednesday I am usually unavailable to the team due to my apprenticeship learning so I aim to get any work needed to be done, done or scheduled by the end of the day.
Later, I tackle various administrative tasks, which include updating spreadsheets, tracking campaign performance, and organising digital files to keep everything streamlined and accessible. Finally, I wrap up the day by sending any last emails, summarising the day’s work, setting priorities for the rest of the week, and planning the next steps.
Wednesday
My Wednesdays are divided into three parts, ensuring a balanced day. We start off by diving into marketing ethics, a topic that is increasingly relevant and significant in today’s industry. I spend the morning researching and understanding how ethical considerations apply to our current marketing practices, reading case studies, academic papers, and industry reports.
The ethics side of marketing often leads to rich debates and conversations with my apprenticeship team and my teacher, which are very helpful in deepening my understanding of the subject.
Post-break, I continue to explore the ethics in marketing, focusing on applying these principles to real-world scenarios. This involves analysing our current campaigns to ensure they align with ethical standards and brainstorming ways to enhance our approach. The discussions with my apprenticeship team continue, providing valuable insights and fostering a collaborative learning environment.
The afternoon is then dedicated to practical, hands-on experiences. I join other multi-channel marketing classes for a dynamic session where we work on a Dragons’ Den-themed project. Together, we come up with innovative marketing campaigns for fictional products, presenting our ideas as if pitching to potential investors. This exercise not only enhances our creativity and strategic thinking but also provides a fun, competitive environment to apply what we’ve learned.
Throughout the day, these activities ensure that I am not only learning theoretical aspects but also gaining practical experience. Before our day is over, we usually have a quick run through of everything we have learnt that day and either discuss to ensure we have all understood it or look at small quizzes for us to complete. Finally, we are set an assignment that aligns with crossing off some of the KSBs that are set for us to work on throughout our apprenticeship.
Thursday
After catching up from the day before, each day usually focuses on content creation where I either film new videos or edit existing ones for our social media channels. It’s a creative process that ensures our content remains fresh, engaging, and on-brand.
I then catch up with team members to discuss any upcoming events that might require spotlighted content or any ongoing projects where I can lend a hand, for example our webinar series that we have here at UA92 focusing on all different subjects that are helpful to current students, prospective students, parents etc. These conversations are important for me in staying in sync with the team’s objectives and identifying where I can make the most impact.
Mid-morning, I set aside some time to update my On the Job Training (OJT) log, which is a part of my apprenticeship. I record the tasks I have completed, the new skills I have acquired, and reflect on how these experiences contribute to my professional growth.
After a quick break, I delve into researching additional learning opportunities. This could involve consulting with a manager to gain insights from their experience or exploring online courses that could enhance my knowledge and skills.
By the afternoon, I usually return to more content-related tasks, ensuring everything is polished and ready for publication. The balance between creative work, team collaboration, and personal development makes for an enriching and dynamic Thursday.
Fridays
My Fridays are all about wrapping up the week efficiently and preparing for the week ahead! The day kicks off with a catch-up meeting where I ensure I’m fully up to date with everything that has happened throughout the week. This includes discussing the progress of ongoing projects and identifying any tasks that need to be completed before the end of the day.
Once I’m clear on the priorities, I set aside some time to begin working on my assignments for my apprenticeship. This involves reflecting on what I’ve learned throughout the week, it’s a good time to connect the dots between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
As the day progresses, I focus on wrapping up any work that needs to be completed by the end of the week. This includes editing and scheduling social media content to ensure our online presence remains consistent. I also brainstorm and organise ideas for the week ahead, preparing briefs to share with my line manager.
If there are any quotes needed for upcoming campaigns, I assist the brand marketing lead in gathering them, ensuring everything is ready for the next steps. I also take some time to assist the Website Executive with any administrative tasks. This collaboration helps streamline our processes and ensures that everything runs smoothly.
Every week is different for me as a digital marketing apprentice. There are always new projects to work on or deadlines to meet, which keeps me busy and engaged. I love the variety and the constant challenge of tackling new tasks and learning new skills.
