Showcasing Your Creative and Digital Skills

A changing shift in the labour market and university admission procedures over the last decade has meant HEIs have invested considerable amounts of time and resources into improving student employability. In many sectors, recruiters are looking for ‘work-ready’ graduates with clear evidence of job specific skills in addition to high-level graduate attributes – and industry partners have complained about the difficulties of matching talented graduates with specific jobs particularly in the creative industries.

In response to this, as well as positive feedback from students and industry partners, the Creative Industries Knowledge Cluster have decided to run a unique event in partnership with a number of key industry experts from the North West in order to develop networks with some of the top graduate recruiters from the industry and improve employability for MMU students.

This event is honed to address the employability needs of MMU’s 3rd year undergraduates and postgraduate students who will be seeking employment within the digital industries.

This event is extensively supported by the MPA (Manchester Publicity Association – the Voice of Manchester’s Communications Community) to develop invaluable networks with some of the top graduate recruiters from the industry. Student prizes organised by the MPA will be opened for competition on the day.

Speakers and industry mentors

Craig Johnson Digital Marketing Consultant

Digital marketing and media expert, based in Manchester. Very commercially focused with a proven track record of helping agencies and clients maximise their returns from digital and social marketing. Exemplary developer and leader of teams, nurturing talent in both an agency and client environment. Experienced Associate Lecturer with MMU Business School in addition to trainer in digital marketing qualifications.

Helle Jakobsen Account Director, Building Blocks

An extremely positive and customer focused professional, Helle has enjoyed a very rapid rise since graduating from MMU Business School with a Distinction in MSc Marketing Communications. Her experience cuts across a number of digital disciplines, developed through large national and international B2B and B2C clients. Helle is a proven guest speaker and lecturer, known for being extremely knowledgeable and positive.

Matt Hackett Director/Co-Founder, Favourite People

With almost 15 years digital and marketing recruitment experience, Matt is ideally placed to understand the digital skills required for Manchester and North West organisations, in addition to the retention of talent in the region through nurturing the employability of graduates. Having developed his career working within a global recruitment group through to regional boutique recruiter, Matt established Favourite People in 2014, with the aim of becoming ‘the UK’s favourite Marketing, PR, Digital and Creative recruitment service’.

Jeff McCarthy Senior Lecturer In Digital Marketing, MMU Business School

A digital marketing specialist since 1996, Jeff joined MMU Business School in 2009, having run his own digital marketing agency for almost 7 years. Jeff is very passionate about retaining talent in the North West in partnership with the business community. A highly experienced speaker and trainer for MMU, LJMU, Econsultancy, CIM, IDM, MMC Learning and more.

Schedule

09:45 Registration and refreshments

10:00 Guest speakers:

• Jeff McCarthy – ‘Be part of the 1.2 million new creative and digital sector workers.’
• Kleon West – ‘Digital career themes: your journey from graduation.’
• Craig Johnson – ‘Digital means different things in different businesses.’
• Matt Hackett – ‘Careers in digital: creatives, developers, suits…’
• Helle Jakobsen – ‘Adopting the right mindset.’

11:00 Panel discussion (with MMU tutors and experts) with audience questions
e.g. what it means to work in the Creative Industries, how we can ensure
MMU graduates are work-ready, tips on delivering a successful pitch, and
what the competition brief entails.

12:00 Lunch & networking

13:00 Students work on allocated group brief (with some
interaction & guidance from experts attending on day)

14:30 Students present their work to a panel of experts

15:30 Refreshments – judges to decide on winners

16:00 Winners announced

Downloads

• Conference Programme