My choice to take a gap year was a last minute, slightly unavoidable option due to a lack of accommodation at my chosen university. That said, it is one that I definitely do not regret.
To begin with, I had a few options for my year out: travelling, working a ski season or working in the UK. Travelling quickly became impractical; a lack of funds after two months abroad put an end to that! Working a ski season was an option for a few weeks, until I swiftly realised leaving my parents (and horse) for that long was not something I particularly wanted to do.
I found out about an opening at Minerva through Rhonda who, luckily, lives in the same village as me. After an informal chat we both decided to give it a trial run and I’ve been at Minerva ever since. It just goes to show, it’s not only what you know, it’s who you know!
Working in communications has been a career option for me since I was 15 and completed a week of work experience at a PR firm in London. At Minerva, my role as a junior account executive has allowed me to fulfil this and learn more about the industry whilst on the job. Saving money for university, gaining experience and building up contacts are just three advantages of working for Minerva through my gap year. I have also had the chance to work with amazing, lovely people who make my job fun and enjoyable.
My social media ‘expertise’ (garnered from too many evenings on Facebook and Twitter!) has brought ‘added value’ to the team here and I have developed our clients’ & projects’ social media profiles considerably. My filming and video-editing skills have also come in handy (you can watch an example here!)
For university and beyond – I have learnt to manage and prioritise my workload, meet deadlines, liaise with clients and have gained a valuable insight into the way a business is run. All of these new skills will help me during university and when applying for jobs in the future
Working throughout your gap year is not for everyone, parts of it are difficult – when all your friends come back from university and just want to party, but you have work the next day, for example. But, for anyone who wants to save some money, as well as create or explore career options, then I would personally recommend working through your year out – particularly to help with meeting the increasing costs of student life, and especially if you don’t want to live off beans and pasta!
Christmas – culturally diverse and sustainable celebrations Szilvia Newell, Office Manager at Minerva, explores and explains Hungarian and British traditions 5th December 2023 The holiday season is a time of joy, love, and celebration. It is also a time when people around the world come together to celebrate various cultural and religious traditions. While Christmas …
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Recycle Week 2023: Let’s Make a Difference Together! Author – Vaishnavi Srinivasan 10th October 2023 Taking Action During Recycling Week and beyond Review Your Recycling Habits: Take a moment to review what you currently recycle at home or at work. Are there items you could be recycling but aren’t? Make a list and commit to …
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Join Minerva Communications in Embracing Zero Waste Week! Author – Vaishnavi Srinivasan 30th August 2023 Assess Your Waste: Start by taking a close look at your daily habits. Identify areas where you can reduce, reuse, or recycle more effectively. Set Goals: Challenge yourself to make a big difference during Zero Waste Week. You can do …
Sustainable Celebrations this Christmas By the Minerva Team 9th December 2021 Use natural or homemade Christmas wreaths and decorations –Mimi Saville, Account Manager “Using natural or homemade decorations are a sustainable alternative to plastic Christmas baubles and artificial wreaths. Meeting with family to forage and create your own garlands or festive wreaths is a great …
Six Lessons Learned in Six Months By Molly Burchell, Account Executive 30th November 2021 Our newest team member discusses what she has learned so far at Minerva. This month, I am celebrating my sixth month working as an Account Executive at Minerva Communications UK. This is my first job out of university that has …
Driving awareness for a more sustainable future Interactive book for families and schools provides ‘bio-based’ food for thought By Amanda Beard, Account Manager, Minerva UK October 2021 Case Study: Bradford Science Festival 2021 The Bradford Science Festival (BSF) was first established in 2017 by the National Science & Media Museum with the aim to engage …
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