SPLENDID FUTURES: “A GREAT LAUNCH PAD FOR A BRIGHT CAREER IN COMMUNICATIONS”
I joined Splendid as part of the Splendid Futures programme in 2017 for my first step into the world of PR and social media, having left the world of teaching behind. Today, I’m a Senior Account Manager and lead the team that runs the programme day-to-day. With the search for our next interns about to commence, I’ve been reflecting on my journey and what the programme offers.
During my internship, I generated my first pieces of coverage, saw my first blog post published and had my first lunch with a journalist - and then went on to meet many more at the events we hosted for our clients! It was a great introduction, though I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to Christmas planning before I’ve even cracked open my first Easter egg… Today’s interns are doing this and more, honing their skills in the latest trends and tactics to land clients column inches.
The Splendid Futures programme is a six month internship that offers hands-on experience in PR and Social Media to a diverse mix of school and college leavers, university graduates and anyone seriously considering a career in communications. Interns get the chance to work on some of the most iconic brands across food, drink, retail, lifestyle and culture sectors. They’ll experience everything from writing press materials or social post copy to brainstorming new ideas, coordinating events and meeting journalists to pitch stories.
To help them on their journey, everyone that joins has an experienced mentor and most of our mentors have completed the programme themselves and risen through the ranks. They’ll get career development, targets and recognition, the same as any other member of staff.
More than half of our interns go on to stay in the business long term and develop their careers at Splendid, so it really is a great launch pad for a bright career in communications.
So I don’t spend the whole of this blog post writing about myself, we’ve gathered some other first hand experiences from both current Splendid Futures interns and graduates.
Jess, Current Futures Intern
“I am now starting the 4th month of my Splendid Futures Internship and I cannot recommend applying for this experience enough. It is mind-blowing how much I have learnt in such a short period of time. What really sets this programme apart is how valued interns are from the beginning. I have consistently felt that my ideas are taken seriously, and I have been encouraged to express myself creatively from my very first day. The entire team is so patient and understanding, giving up their time to help me learn and grow in both PR and Social.
Being given a personal mentor is a true highlight of the experience. Having someone who is on hand to provide support and advice throughout the internship not only gives you confidence, but also enables a clear plan of action at every stage. The company dynamic is also a huge plus. There are regular social events which are always super fun and company wins are celebrated and heard by all. The Futures programme has been such a formative foundation to the start of my working life and I couldn’t ask for a better company to work for.”
Zayaan, Current Futures Intern
“I was so excited when I got the call saying that I had been offered a place on the Splendid Futures programme. From day one, I felt like each intern started on an even playing field, eager to learn as much as possible. Being able to work with some of the biggest brands in the UK has been a great experience and first step into PR.
From writing a press release to attending photoshoots (with Gary Lineker!), I’ve had the opportunity to try lots of different things. Having a mentor to help guide my training and development has been extremely helpful and I can see how much I’ve progressed from month to month.”
Jasmine, Current Futures Intern
“This is my first office job and Splendid has some of the friendliest and most accommodating people I’ve ever met. There’s a real emphasis on inclusion, and I look forward to coming into the office every day. The Futures programme has solidified my passion for PR and it’s something I will always be incredibly grateful for.
As I enter the fourth month of the programme (it has gone incredibly fast!), I feel like I have learnt so much and it’s given me new found confidence in my abilities due to the trusting teams I am surrounded by.
I feel valued as a member of the team and have responsibilities that make the internship a valuable and enriching experience. From photoshoots, complete with human size Christmas trees, to joining brainstorms and speaking to journalists, I’ve had a glimpse into the weird and wonderful world of PR and Social.”
Fran, Account Executive
“The past six months have been an enriching and fulfilling journey, providing me with valuable insights into the PR industry and allowing me to gain hands-on experience whilst working on an incredible portfolio of clients. The support and collaboration within the team, from my mentor and colleagues, have played a crucial role in my growth during the internship, and the projects I’ve been involved in have challenged me to develop new skills that will undoubtedly prove useful in future work.
I am massively grateful for having been given the opportunity to actively become part of such a stimulating environment, and I would wholeheartedly recommend the Splendid Futures internship to anyone looking to explore a career in PR. “
Zaynab, Account Executive
“When I first got offered the Splendid Futures role as an intern I was terrified, this was my first ‘office’ job having worked in retail and hospitality my whole life and quite honestly I was really worried I’d be the oldest intern. I thought, “I can’t believe someone at my age is starting from the bottom”, and I was so wrong. Splendid caters for everyone, of all ages and skill sets, and I guess this is what first attracted me: the inclusivity. Everyone here was so incredibly welcoming, the bubbly characters, the supportive mentors and the amazing interns I started with all helped contribute to an incredible working environment.
This past year, I’ve worked across a wide range of tasks including photoshoots (thank you Splendid for kick-starting my modelling career despite the fact I’m 5’3) and this has helped me discover where my strengths lie and what I enjoy.
I’ll be honest, not every part of the job is glamorous, but with a mentor that really helped me find opportunities to delve into tasks that suited me, I felt like I had the tools provided to grow and hone my talents.
Splendid trusts you to really take everything into stride and pushes you to be the best version of yourself. If you’re willing to put in the hard work, I would definitely say Splendid is a great place to figure out if you’re cut out for the world of PR and social.”
Tara, Senior Account Manager
“Who knew five years could fly by so fast? I joined the Splendid Futures programme in the autumn of 2018 after graduating from university, kicking off my career in PR and Social Media. Having stumbled upon the Splendid website, I was met with an image of a cat lovingly holding a cucumber (it’s a Hendricks campaign, if you’re interested), and thought “this place looks wacky…” then applied for Splendid Futures immediately.
Our internship programme really set the foundation for the career development I've seen over the past five years. From day one I was brought in as an integral part of the team, working on clients across the consumer lifestyle sector, from the UK’s biggest supermarket to the UK’s largest self storage provider. These experiences working on varied, exciting and challenging brands gave me the opportunity to work across a broad spectrum of projects, including consumer pop-ups, talent photoshoots and media interviews, influencer content creation and PR stunts. All the while being mentored by and learning from colleagues with fantastic experience and an overt passion for our industry.”
Chelsie, Senior Content Strategist
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the Splendid Futures programme. Fact.
From day one, you are brought into the fold of the agency - be it joining creative brainstorms, drafting content or press materials or supporting on content shoots, immediately getting experience across both the PR and Social teams.
For me, being taken along to an industry event on the second week of the internship centred on insight gathering, inspired a personal passion for insight and strategy. Since then, I have been able to carve a role for myself, working my way to become a Senior Content Strategist, a role which I had not previously considered. In fact, this role was not part of the Splendid team structure, until I shared my interests and ambitions during my Career Review process. The investment in your growth and development is clear from day dot of the internship and it really is designed to set you up for a long-term career. Plus, you get to work with some iconic brands and a wicked team. In the last six years I’ve discovered my passions, dislikes, strengths (and even weaknesses!)... and that all started with the Futures Programme.”
If you’d like to apply for a place on the Splendid Futures programme, we will be opening applications again later this month. Keep an eye on our socials for when applications open. More information on the programme can be found here.