Juno Pratt

Having previously worked mostly in part-time retail and hospitality roles, I was unaccustomed to a full-time office job. I was determined to pursue work that would not only supplement my customer service skills, media training and creative drive, but also provide me with valuable experience that could continue to support me throughout my career.  

I was aware of the TVCA’s operations before I applied, having often used the Tees Flex to commute, but I was unaware of the TVCA’s internship programme until I discovered it through my LinkedIn network. 

I decided to apply to both the communications and marketing and the business departments as I was unsure of where I wanted to pursue a career. 

However, my media-based skills and previous workplace experience were better suited to the Marketing and Communications department, so I was happy when I was called back for an interview, and even happier when I was called back again to be informed of the internship offer. 

While interning, I was involved with several projects, most notably creating the marketing campaign for the 2024 summer internship programme alongside fellow marketing intern Benjamin Fearnley. We created photography briefs, video diaries, marketing plans, and social media post drafts – all of which to be used in next year’s campaign, thus contributing to our legacy within the TVCA. 

I really enjoyed the opportunity to embrace my creativity alongside my media and workplace-based skills to approach each task with my own technique, but I also appreciate the guidance I was given from the communications and marketing department to do so. 

I feel much more confident and coordinated in the workplace and am prepared for real employment in a professional environment. I can now list marketing, social media publishing, press release writing and project management on my CV, alongside skills I developed at university, to better seek out media-related jobs. 

Before I began interning here, I was concerned about my future career, especially so given the competitive nature of freelance journalism. It appeared as if my degree had funnelled me into a specific career path, one in which my career aspirations would suffer. 

I now feel more confident than ever about my future and where I could actively pursue work – I no longer fear as if I’m waiting in vain for the right opportunity. Where before, I only saw journalism as a career opportunity, now I see the potential for employment in communications in a number of industries. 

I really enjoyed my experience working with the TVCA – they were supportive of my work, but still let me tackle the projects head-on, they were understanding of my lack of experience, but still offered me an opportunity to work for them, and they treated me like a regular colleague, not a short stay intern.