Lucy studied BA (Hons) History and Media at Leeds Beckett, graduating in 2023. Here, Lucy shares her thoughts about the course, what she most enjoyed and how it got her to where she is now.

Course: BA (Hons) History and Media

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you've been doing since you graduated.

I've always been very passionate about history and media but was never too sure what I wanted to do with my passions.

In September I began an internship for a trade union which perfectly incorporates all my interests and has been an amazing first job.

I am on the internship for a year, working hybrid-remote which allows me to experience working in London while working from home twice a week. I love it.

What have been the highlights of your career so far?

My favourite career highlight has been going to Liverpool for three days for a general meeting for the union.

It was all expenses paid and I got to meet some really influential people. I even got upgraded to an executive suite to stay in.

Another highlight was attending a gala at the BT Tower in London where I met the foreign secretary of Australia.

Tell us about your job, what do you do and how did studying at Leeds Beckett help you get there?

I'm a Communications Assistant and I am fortunate enough at my job to be working with fantastic people that give me all the opportunities.

I write a lot of articles for the union magazine, edit, post on the social media, am involved in internal and external communications, conduct interviews, upload onto the website, attend protests, and write press releases.

Studying at Leeds Beckett helped me get this job over an Oxford University graduate because I did some podcast work as part of my course which allowed me to help on our union podcast.

The history aspect of my course allowed me to learn about the history of workers' rights and be more knowledgeable about the work of unions.

The essays and assignments helped me to become a better writer so I can write articles at work - and overall - university built up my confidence so much that I was able to ace the interview and get this amazing internship.

How has your experience studying at Leeds Beckett influenced you and your career?

I didn't do a placement; however, my academic tutor was always helping me out with ideas for work after uni and told me all the ways to gain experience alongside my studying.

One thing I did while studying was work for a local Yorkshire magazine, which also helped me get this internship.

What attracted you to study your course at Leeds Beckett University?

I had always wanted to move up north as I felt I identified with it a bit better than where I grew up - and Leeds was well known for its music scene, style, and kind people.

I picked Leeds Beckett as it allowed me to study the two subjects I was stuck between as a joint degree. The course consisted of exciting and engaging content I couldn't wait to learn.

It was the perfect mix of practical and essay-based and allowed me to delve further into my passion for history while exploring a media career.

What did you enjoy about your course and what advice would you give someone thinking about studying it?

My favourite thing about my course was the exciting and interesting content which made it much easier for me to study and read because it was all stuff I was genuinely engaged with.

My advice to anyone thinking about studying this course would be that although it is a bit of a unique course, it's highly impressive to employers and perfect for anyone wanting to explore a career in media while studying a traditional academic subject too - so go for it.

What's next for you?

Although I love my job, I'm not sure working for a union is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

After this job, I will have all the skills and experience to apply for communications, PR and journalism roles in industries that I'm more interested in.

For example, the dream would be to work in PR for a record label or a music artist, or maybe doing communications for an airline or fashion brand.

The experience I now have in politics allows me to also follow my fascination with working for political parties or thinktanks too. It's definitely something I'm still exploring, but I know I'm on the right path.