Oluwasuen Adepegba studies a Global MBA, as part of her course and undertook a placement in a communications role at Mind in Doncaster where she was able to use what she had learned from her MBA in a work setting.

“Having worked in marketing and communications for over four years before pursuing my MBA, I thought taking on the role at Doncaster Mind would be an easy task. However, it turned out to be quite different from anything I was used to. Fortunately, the lessons from my first year of study prepared me well for the experience. This not only boosted my confidence but also gave me a sense of accomplishment, helping me to seamlessly integrate into the organisation.

“I was able to apply what I'd learned to real situations promoting services, communicating recruitment, enhancing core services marketing, and internal and external engagement. 

“My role was a newly created position, so I had to build a number of things from the beginning. I found the knowledge from the strategy management module particularly useful. I applied insights from organisational culture, strategic positioning, stakeholder analysis, and other lessons to develop strategies that aligned with the company's objectives. This helped ensure that the communication strategies I worked on for the organisation were in sync with the overall direction of the company's strategy and approved by the board of trustees.

“I found the concepts of segmentation, targeting, and positioning, particularly useful from my strategic marketing module. This knowledge empowered me to create messages tailored to diverse target audiences, effectively communicating our services. Having these skills gave me confidence, especially as I navigated a market unfamiliar to me and as a result, I gained positive feedback from service managers on the success of my campaigns.

“This placement has shown me that applying what you've learned in theory is crucial.  I've experienced first-hand the significance of organisational culture, particularly as an international student working in a different cultural environment. It's been vital in delivering a crucial aspect of the business — effectively communicating with our target audience and conveying the organisation's objectives.

“Going forward, I'm hoping to gain new skills in this industry, improve how I engage with key stakeholders, and master the art of writing bids to prepare me for the future ahead.”