Hi everyone, it has been one month of living and working in Belfast and I have learned and seen many different things in this time.
Since my very first day, my Trainer and host Christine has taught me how important it is to build and maintain good relationships with clients, colleagues and neighbours in person and online – to this end I upskilled quickly using a LinkedIn learning resource provided to me to create and publish my own professional LinkedIn account. Prior to this I wasn’t aware of how significant this social media platform could be for a professional and a professional services business.
I’ve learned how to use WordPress, a user-friendly platform for writing and managing content on websites. With Christine’s help, I wrote my very first blog post about myself and my learning plans for my three months as an Erasmus trainee in Northern Ireland and I really enjoyed the experience.
I’m also learning a lot about photography and videography. I attended two Apple workshops: “How to Take Better Photos” and “How to Take Better Videos.” These sessions, which take place in the Apple store in Belfast and are free to attend, taught me many new techniques and gave me the opportunity to practice directly in the store.
I have previous experience creating graphics and templates using the free version of online design tool: Canva. However I have been able to attend a webinar that Christine was delivering on the marketing magic of Canva and all the incredible features it offers. I found out about some great new “hacks” to help me work faster. I’ve also been experimenting with relatively new features available to Pro users who pay a monthly or annual subscription in order to unlock extra functionality, such as ‘Bulk Create’, which allowed me to generate multiple slides utilising information from a Google Sheet. I found it a really useful tool and I created a google sheet of positive customer reviews received from Christine’s trainees and I connected this data to a branded master template in order to create more than 50 different graphics in seconds and with the click of one single button! In addition to I’ve started exploring how to create engaging Reels on Canva, something I’m finding exciting and valuable for work.
I’ve also attended one of Christine’s marketing courses: one focused on marketing in general where I discovered some new theoretical teachings such as the importance of developing an ‘online value proposition’ and the SOSTAC® model. There was also some content that reinforced my previous learning from my marketing studies back home in Italy. I found the 90 minute webinar really interesting and engaging and I have since created a canva graphic highlighting some of the key takeaways such as focus on identifying your ideal target audience and those who can help you reach them, spend your time ‘fishing where the fish are’, and the importance of building a positive reputation.
Another new tool for me is the DJI camera. I had never used equipment like this before but I’m now learning how to get the best results by watching YouTube tutorials and practicing, for example, during a work event at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle that I attended on June 19th. I found the event which showcased the events, meeting and conference facilities of the luxury hotel and some of the providers who can offer team building services fantastic. At the event, in this five star hotel, I saw how beautiful the interiors are and met and networked with a lot of new people. I also took part in a team exercise organised by Lightbulb, a company that builds mechanical arms and other things to donate to people in need. With my team, we had to build a prosthetic arm following some instructions. It was a real challenge, very fun and it made me reflect a lot on people who need to use these devices.
I’ve also been working on building a content calendar for a business. I’m still developing my skills when it comes to suggesting posts, captions, hashtags, visuals, videos and more but I’m confident I’ll get better with time. I was signposted to a resource to help me upskill in this area and I found the templates and the prescheduling within Meta Business Suite for facebook and instagram easy. Before my traineeship I had never used Meta Business suite before.
Right now, I’m involved in a market research project aimed at identifying strategies and tactics to help promote an upcoming WorldHost customer service training workshop taking place in the Harrison boutique hotel in south Belfast. I’ll be attending the event as a customer, with Andrea (a fellow Erasmus trainee arriving on June 30th).
About Sophie, I’ve had the pleasure of working with both her and Lara. Sophie is one of Christine’s regular trainees and Lara was with us for a day on work experience to explore whether this type of work in marketing suits her. I helped Lara learn how to use the DJI camera and she used that for taking some pictures and some videos for her blog and I explained aspects of marketing, taking her through one of Christine’s many presentations that teach people what marketing actually is.
Outside of work, I’ve also been exploring Northern Ireland. I’ve visited a lot of pubs (which I love), seen the Big Fish, the Botanic Gardens (they’re fabulous and huge), Belfast City Hall, Newcastle, the Titanic Museum, Commercial Court – famous as the Umbrella Street (really colourful), Ulster Museum, Victoria Square and my favourite place so far: the Giant’s Causeway. It’s absolutely stunning!
I’ve also been taking care of the plants in the office and I think I’m doing a great job, because they’re looking much healthier now!
Last but not least my english has definitely improved and also my capacity to understand it compared to the first day here. I still have some improvements to be realised but I am proud because a lot of people tell me that my English is not bad!
Outside of work, I’ve also been exploring Northern Ireland. I’ve visited a lot of pubs (which I love), seen the Big Fish, the Botanic Gardens (they’re fabulous and huge), Belfast City Hall, Newcastle, the Titanic Museum, Commercial Court – famous as the Umbrella Street (really colourful), Ulster Museum, Victoria Square and my favourite place so far: the Giant’s Causeway. It’s absolutely stunning!
I’ve also been taking care of the plants in the office and I think I’m doing a great job, because they’re looking much healthier now!
Last but not least my english has definitely improved and also my capacity to understand it compared to the first day here. I still have some improvements to be realised but I am proud because a lot of people tell me that my English is not bad! 
