Ciara graduated in 2022 with a degree in Advertising and Brand Communications. Find out what has been happening since in Ciara’s alumni journey.

What did you love most about Manchester Met?

For me, moving far from home at 18 years old was very daunting, however when I had my first week at Manchester Met it was clear that the staff and lecturers were all on our side to make us feel at home. They were there not just for academic support but for also for advice. My class at university became like a family with friends for life!

What happened after you graduated?

Graduating with a First Class Honours was one of the best days of my life, however once graduated it is normal to feel like ‘what’s next?’

For myself, I felt this instantly and knew I had to keep busy before my start date of my new job. I started up my own social media management company through Instagram, and I had 4 business Instagram accounts that I managed. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the confidence given to me through Man Met.

So…what are you doing now?

In our last few weeks at University, Vera Baker Bradbury (our amazing lecturer) organised for us to have multiple talks and chats with media agencies that were going to hire grads. This is where I met the team at Republic of Media.

From then, I was invited to a grad day at Republic of Media, which included many interviews/ presentations. Two weeks later I got the call to tell me I got the job as a Programmatic Assistant. 

After one year at Republic of Media, I have now been promoted to Digital Media Executive! 

How did your course prepare you for work?

Studying Advertising and Brand Management at University paved the way for me to enter the world of Media and Marketing. In our last year at university, our final task was to work with a real-life business and create a business plan for them. 

Standing up in front of a crowd of people to present, setting up meetings, writing formal emails and producing work that would be used externally was a glimpse into what my future after graduating would look like – and therefore the perfect way to prepare me for the working world.

Having the confidence in knowing that you can answer questions and give your own ideas and thoughts on all things marketing was also because of my three years at Man Met and the conversations and debates in class.

What advice would you give the current students?

My advice for anyone currently studying at Manchester Met would be to get involved in as much as you can, you don’t know if you like something if you never try it!

Make sure to go to the events with employers and businesses, set up by lecturers (even if it’s after class time and your hungover) – you might just get a job from it!

Enjoy yourself, these 3/4 years , although stressful at times will be the best years of your life! So enjoy the socialising, the new friends, and the new city – but always turn up to your classes where you can😁