Sunderland graduate Naomi Osborne has taken what she learnt in her degree, and her love for her adopted city, by taking the first steps into a new career that is set to take her across the world.
Naomi, 22, gained her degree in Tourism Management last summer – and the young graduate from Belfast decided that Sunderland was the best place to begin her career in marketing.
After she finished her degree Naomi contact the University’s Sunderland Futures team. They helped her polish her CV, and land an eight-week role as a Marketing Intern at Sunderland’s Bridges Shopping Centre.
“I have a really diverse role, working on the Bridges’ website, social media, campaign management and helping to create events for the centre,” says Naomi. “I also get to sit in on meetings on some of the city’s big marketing initiatives, such as Vibe and the Tall Ships. It’s a great experience, and will help with my future career aspirations.”
The University of Sunderland offers internships in many different disciplines, from heavy engineering to performing arts. Students and graduates receive one-to-one advice and support, and the opportunity to work in a real world environment, with invaluable experience to add to their professional CV.
The latest Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education figures, the national benchmark for graduate employment, show that 94.2% of Sunderland graduates are in employment or further study six months after graduation.
Samantha Czwordon, Marketing and Communications Manager for the Bridges, said: “It’s great to work alongside motivated and enthusiastic young people, such as Naomi, who help to bring new ideas to your business.
“The Bridges have a close working relationship with the University of Sunderland, and we are always keen to support our city’s graduates and help them move forward with their career ambitions.”
Though Naomi says she intends to continue to work within marketing, in the future she hopes to combine that work with another passion, conservation.
“My aim has always been to get as much experience as possible, and the University has really helped me achieved this goal,” she says. “But when I finish my time at The Bridges I’m going to do something a little different – I’ll be working as a Volunteer Coordinator in Sri Lanka over the summer – which should an incredible experience!”