A Week in the Marketing Team: Work Experience

The Northern Schools Trust (NST) Marketing Team recently hosted a group of work experience students from North Liverpool Academy.

The 5-Day Challenge

Over five days, these students embarked on a digital marketing campaign challenge. They were each given a school part of the NST to focus their work on. Their mission was to create a fresh and engaging campaign to highlight their school's unique offering and attract new students.

Day 1: Research and Discovery

The week began with an introduction to the NST's Marketing team and an insight into their roles and skill set.

Before they got started, the students were given a tour of the Contemporary Urban Centre (CUC) building home to Liverpool Life Sciences UTC and The Studio School. This was a brand new experience for the students and they were interested in the unusual location and innovative layout of the two co-located schools.

The students were then introduced to their challenge before diving into research about their school’s unique offerings and the local competitive landscape. They explored the school's website and social channels to identify what makes it unique, and they analysed what nearby competitors (schools and alternative education providers) were doing in their marketing efforts.

Day 2: Understanding the Audience

The focus then shifted to understanding the target demographic - potential students in the surrounding area. The students conducted a SWOT analysis to identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats associated with the school’s marketing.

The students also delved into the wants, needs and online habits of their target audience to determine the best platforms and messaging to use to engage with them.

Students who were given Liverpool Life Sciences UTC as their school chose to focus on popular social media platforms like Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) while students tasked with The Studio School chose to focus on live- streaming platforms such as Twitch and Discord.

Day 3: Creating a Message

The students worked on crafting a compelling message that would resonate with potential students. Using graphic design tool Canva, they designed visually appealing social media graphics to accompany their message. This day was all about creativity and ensuring their communication was both clear and engaging, while maximising the impact of the message through the correct social media formats for their chosen platforms.

They also had the opportunity to explore the Baltic Triangle, a vibrant area known for its creative and digital industries. The tour included culturally significant stops including some unique street art by local artists. This, along with photographing the area, further enhanced their creativity and inspired their campaign ideas.

Day 4: Campaign Mapping

On Day 4, the students brainstormed and mapped out their campaign strategies, including specific calls to action and links to school events like virtual open evenings.

The students harnessed the power of industry-standard tools like Miro, which provided a collaborative digital workspace for brainstorming and idea mapping. Miro’s interactive features allowed students to visually organize their thoughts, enabling them to brainstorm a wide array of creative campaign ideas.

Day 5: Presentation and Reflection

The final day saw the students presenting their completed projects to the group, showcasing their comprehensive campaign plans. They demonstrated their understanding of digital marketing fundamentals and shared insights gained from the week's experiences.

The students' time at CUC was a blend of hands-on learning and real-world application, providing them with invaluable skills and insights into digital marketing. This experience not only enhanced their knowledge of the field but also inspired them to consider future careers in marketing and creative industries.

At Northern Schools Trust, we are committed to offering enriching experiences that prepare students for their future careers. We are proud of the enthusiasm and creativity displayed by our work experience students and look forward to seeing where their newfound skills will take them next.

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