Latest news : MMU scheme 'creates work-ready marketing graduates'

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An initiative launched by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), which provides students experience of life working in an agency, has been hailed a success. 12/12/2012

MMU Agency Life, which was established in September, places second-year students from the department of marketing, operations and digital business at MMU Business School in local advertising, marketing, PR, branding and retail businesses.

Students spend two terms working with their organisation, where they gain valuable, practical experience of agency life by completing tasks and projects for clients operating in a range of sectors.

The university has partnered with almost 50 Manchester firms, all of which have taken on a minimum of six students.

The students dedicate one full day a week to the Agency Life, and those involved have been extremely pleased with how the first term has gone.

Mike Blackburn, managing director of I-COM - one of the digital agencies taking part in the scheme - said, 'So far we've been really impressed with the calibre of the students from MMU.

'We've felt for a long time that the one thing missing from many of the graduates who apply for positions with I-COM is a lack of practical experience, not just of digital marketing but of the workplace in general.'

David Edmundson-Bird, principal lecturer in digital marketing at MMU, believes the scheme will have huge benefits for those taking part.

'We want to create graduates with real work experience to meet the needs of employers who need work-ready staff with degrees,' he commented.

Amy Nelson, a member of I-COM's student team, added, 'It's actually quite relieving to know that we'll be leaving university with practical experience in an exciting industry like digital marketing.'
 
Visit MMU Agency Life  for more information.