Member Article

Graduate Apprentices Pivotal to Trend Bible Growth Strategy

Newcastle-based trend forecasting agency, Trend Bible, have recruited two recent graduates as part of their growth strategy for 2015. The agency predicts future consumer and lifestyle trends for global brands and retailers based in the UK, USA and Europe and has enjoyed significant growth in the first quarter of 2015.

“We’ve had a very positive start to 2015, with turnover in the first quarter exceeding turnover generated in the whole of 2014,” explains Trend Bible founder and Managing Director, Joanna Feeley. “Part of our growth strategy was to expand the team at our head office in Newcastle and underpin our team of Senior Trend Analysts with a layer of Junior Trend Researchers. We have always had success with recruiting from our talent pool of interns who join us as part of their Degrees from various UK universities for around six months.”

Two recent graduates join Joanna and her team. Emily Nicholson, who studied Fashion Communication and Promotion at The University of Huddersfield, graduated in 2014 and went on to work for London-based trend forecasting agency WGSN-Homebuildlife. She joined the Trend Bible team in March 2015 as part of Newcastle University’s Graduate Apprentice Scheme.

Emily said; “I have loved my first few months at Trend Bible, working on a variety of projects for global brands, and attending trade shows such as New Designers in London and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to report on emerging trends.”

A past Church High School pupil, Clare Coulson, also joins the team as Junior Trend Researcher. She graduated in 2015 with a first class honours in Design for Textiles from Heriot-Watt University. Clare joins the team as part of the Heriot-Watt Internship Scheme supported by Santander.

“I am excited to be joining the team at Trend Bible only weeks after graduating from University,” said Clare. “It’s great to be able to embark on my dream career as a trend forecaster in my home town of Newcastle.”

“Internships and Apprenticeships have been absolutely key to us finding and recruiting the next generation of Trend Bible talent,” explains Joanna. “There is a lot of talk about a skills shortage in the North East at the moment but we are not finding this to be the case, despite us working in a very niche industry. We’re the only trend forecasting agency in the North of England, we require a very specific skill set, and yet have very little trouble lining up future employees,” explains Joanna. “I put this down to constantly nurturing our talent pool through under-graduate internships for our junior team, and developing our network through online engagement for more senior recruits.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Trend Bible .