Kelly Baber - Digital Marketing Apprentice

  • By downloading this resource, you are consenting to opt-in to receive marketing communications from us. You may unsubscribe from our communications at any time. For more information on how we store your data, view our Privacy Policy.

Q: BEFORE YOU STARTED YOUR APPRENTICESHIP, WHAT WERE YOUR CAREER GOALS AND EXPERIENCES?

It’s been quite a while since I left school, and at that age I didn’t really have any idea what I wanted from a career. I fell into general admin roles and did that until I was made redundant, and then took an admin role in a busy marketing team.

Moving from admin into a marketing role ignited my passion for marketing, then after that I knew this was the career I wanted. I missed out on undertaking a CIM qualification at that business due to redundancies elsewhere in the organisation. Not long after, I left to take up a role elsewhere where I was the sole marketer.

The business I moved to was then acquired by the business I now work for. I’m again part of a wider team, in a much larger organisation.

Q: WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT TAKING THE APPRENTICESHIP ROUTE?

I always wanted to undertake a qualification, and after some research I felt that an apprenticeship was the best route to take.

I knew that full time education wasn’t for me. With a mortgage and bills to pay, I still needed to work full time. So an apprenticeship looked perfect for me. Combining learning with my job works well for me. I’d like to continue my apprenticeship journey with a Level 6 qualification next.

Q: WHAT KINDS OF TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR JOB ROLE?

I am responsible for the marketing and communications for a specific division of our business. This includes:

  • Social media
  • Content creation
  • Campaign planning and delivery
  •  Website content optimisation
  • Brochure and collateral creation
  • Email marketing to clients and prospects
  • Events such as webinars
  • Support with industry events

I’m a fully remote worker, and I meet with my team in the London office once a month (I live in Birmingham). My days are rarely quiet, and I have one direct report – our Communications Executive.

Q: WHAT HAS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT BEEN IN YOUR APPRENTICESHIP JOURNEY SO FAR?

Being awarded ‘Apprentice of the Week’ twice! The first time was after my first week in the SMART Classroom, and the second was for the training week for my Functional Skills Maths certificate.

The second time was particularly special as I’ve never really enjoyed maths, and thanks to Joanne’s excellent training, I not only passed but far exceeded my expectations.

Q: WHAT MARKETING TIPS, TOOLS, OR LIFE HACKS DO YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN EARLIER?

Learn, learn, learn! Absorb as much as you can from as many sources as possible. No one knows everything about marketing so keep taking it all in.

Follow great marketers on LinkedIn and sign up to their mailing lists.

A particular one to mention is The Marketing Meetup. Starting as an in-person event service, they pivoted in lockdown number 1 to provide the most informative and helpful webinar sessions. I have taken away so much from these.

And take advantage of platforms and services that have free access to really get to understand how everything works, from SEO to emails – there’s a platform (and usually free training) out there to help.

WHAT’S NEXT?

We hope this blog has provided you with extra understanding of what it is like to be a Marketing apprentice, along with the type of role you could be presented with when going down this career pathway!

Learn more about our Level 3 Digital Marketer programme or get in touch with our friendly team to find out more.

If you’re a current apprentice and are interested in becoming a Baltic Champion, register your interest! As a Baltic Champion, you can volunteer for as much or as little as you like, aligning with your interests, schedule, and personal development goals.