Member Article

21 year-old graduate uses internship to land online marketing role

A Teesside University graduate is carving out a successful career at an alternative clothing label after embarking on a unique internship scheme.

Multimedia Journalism graduate, Rebecca Greener, attends fashion events, carries out photo-shoots and manages the blogging and social media for Newcastle-based Tyneway Trading.

The company’s clothing brand, Phaze, specialises in gothic, punk, PVC and vintage garments and Rebecca, 21, is relishing the challenge of working in the alternative clothing industry.

She joined Tyneway Trading on a Knowledge Exchange Internship (KEI), a scheme funded by the European Regional Development Fund, which places talented graduates within companies which are looking to solve a particular problem or implement a specific project.

Rebecca excelled in her initial internship and has since been placed on a three month rolling contract with the firm.

She said: “Working at Tyneway Trading has definitely developed my skill set. It has allowed me to see how day to day tasks are run and how the clothing production process is finalised.

“It is amazing to see how a simple drawing enters the manufacturing process and becomes an actual garment.

“Every day is different. I went to Whitby Goth weekend in April, a Victorian weekend at Robin Hoods Bay and I went to the London Edge trade show in February.

“I also do a lot of in house photography as well as all of the blogging and social media among other things.”

Jackie Reynolds, managing director of Tyneway Trading, said that they heard about the Knowledge Exchange Internship via their contacts at the university.

“We usually take placement students in fashion design and IT so we felt it was a good opportunity to try someone with more digital and specialist multimedia knowledge.

“We also wanted someone to help us promote our retail and wholesale websites and heighten our profile and presence on social media.

“The University gave us that outlet.

“We would recommend a Knowledge Exchange Internship as it allows companies to try a ‘specialist’ in areas which might not be obvious in the day to day running of the business.”

Laura Woods, Teesside University’s director of Academic Enterprise added: “The KEI scheme is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to explore new or alternative ways of working. Because it’s low-risk and low-cost, it makes new approaches more accessible for smaller companies – and it readily flags up the benefits.

“We’re delighted that Rebecca’s contribution to the project has led to a new job at Tyneway Trading.”

Knowledge Exchange Internships are part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The project will make a major contribution to the ambition of the ERDF Competitive Programme 2007-13 and by increasing the numbers and survival of business start-ups in the region and increasing business productivity.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Teesside University .