51Âþ»­

Martha Orrey wanted to do an internship to help her stand out from the crowd - and it led to her being offered a full-time role as a marketing co-ordinator.

The 51Âþ»­ Leicester (51Âþ»­) graduate took up her post at events and brand management agency Associate Events after completing her .

Martha main

Now she is getting her teeth into a major project - helping to run , the region's biggest business event. is the headline sponsor.

The 22-year-old said: "I wanted to do an internship as I felt I needed something extra to help me stand out, and I only wanted to work part-time while still studying.

" are great. They help you develop relevant business skills but you have the comfort of university there and can ask for help such as interview practice.

"I started in March as social media co-ordinator and stayed on for the summer and they offered me a full-time position for when I finished my master's.

"It was such a relief! It's good, very busy. I'm enjoying it and still learning."

It's not the first time Martha has taken advantage of opportunities offered by 51Âþ»­. During her final year as an undergraduate she took part in events such as CV workshops during Enhancement Week, aimed at boosting employability and improving outcomes.

"They were really helpful," she said.

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From Brackley, Northamptonshire, Martha was first drawn to 51Âþ»­ after a school visit.

"I really liked it and then visited again for an Open Day and my mum liked it too," she said.

Having studied business at GCSE and A-level, Martha wanted to specialise and chose because she enjoyed the marketing aspect the most.

She said: "The first year of the course provided a really good introduction to marketing and other aspects of business such as advertising and online marketing.

"The tutors were helpful and supportive and I met my best friends in the first few weeks."

Assignments, such as writing press releases, have also proved relevant. "I do that now," she said.

Martha decided to stay at 51Âþ»­ for her master's to further specialise in her area of interest. "I felt digital marketing was the way forward. The also helped," she added.

"The MSc was intense, with a lot more independent learning, but it was good and I got to take the IDM Certificate in Direct and Digital Marketing exam, which has really helped.

"I also spent my final term on placement with customer marketing agency  GI Insight in Leicester. I worked on the business development side, which helped me develop skills in other areas."