Each year, Lighthouse Communications teams up with the University of Ulster to find the ‘Best First Year Student’ on the BSc (Hons) Communication, Advertising and Marketing course and the BSc (Hons) Communication Management and Public Relations course.

This year, the Lighthouse Communications prize was awarded to Alice Byrne (CAM); a very worthy winner. As part of the prize, the winning student is invited to join the Lighthouse Communications team on placement to gain valuable industry experience and insight into the PR, Marketing and Communications sector.

Read how Alice’s time at an award-winning agency has benefited her and what tips she’ll take with her as she embarks on her second year at UUJ.

 

Name: Alice Byrne

University: University of Ulster

Course: Communications, Advertising and Marketing

 

I have recently had the pleasure of undertaking a two-week placement with Lighthouse Communications, which I was awarded through Ulster University.

Heading into an agency at the age of 19 was, I have to say, a little daunting! I didn’t know what to expect. What would the team be like? Would I enjoy the PR experience? Would I be able to answer questions that could potentially be thrown at me? Would I learn during my time there?

Having completed my two weeks, I can confidently say that I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Lighthouse and the experience has been invaluable!

Working with an agency like Lighthouse provided me with helpful insights into the dynamic and fast-faced industry of PR, and taught me the importance of having a detailed understanding of your clients and their business objectives.

At the beginning, I often wondered how an agency can handle so many clients at once. I questioned whether I could manage an agency career or whether I was better suited to an in-house role.

The importance of teamwork, an evident strength at Lighthouse, was highlighted to me during my placement and I soon discovered that managing and prioritising your time effectively is a key skill required for PR life.

My placement with Lighthouse Communications was anything but boring or tea-making. It was fast-paced and I got to experience a variety of activities:

 

  • Filming
  • Writing press releases
  • Content strategising
  • Proofreading
  • Social media monitoring
  • Event planning
  • Copywriting and search engine optimisation
  • Digital marketing
  • Media monitoring

This amazing opportunity has enabled me to understand the PR, Marketing and Communications sector in Northern Ireland better and given perspective of the wonderful career possibilities I can work towards.

I can say with confidence that I am now very excited for the university year ahead and implementing what I’ve learned at Lighthouse Communications.