Hello, my name is Nicola Sartini. I’m 19 years old and I’m from a place in Italy called Rimini within the state of San Marino. I like to listen to music, I like the gym and I enjoy travel too. I’m a really determined person that loves to get involved and loves to complete all targets. I study at an ITS in Italy, it is a post degree school that lasts for only two years. I specifically study “food marketing” so it is concentrated on the food sector but my learning can also be applied to other sectors. I just finished the first year and I get the opportunity to complete a traineeship in Northern Ireland (Belfast) for three months. My work placement is with Trainer Christine Watson founder of Watson & Co. Chartered Marketing and TrainingMatchmaker.com too!
In this blog I share with you the learning and work experience targets that I wish to achieve and the various skills that I want to improve.
My learning plan consists of the below skills development areas:
Content Creation: I want to focus on expanding and refining my digital content creation and marketing skills. One of my priorities is to explore more Canva functionality, especially bulk creation tools and features for creating GIFs and videos because I think that canva is one of the best softwares available for the creation of graphics and good presentations.
Websites and Blogging: I aim to improve my ability to add content to websites using WordPress, one of the most popular website platforms used in the world and apparently a very easy system to use and a useful skill for me to have for my future. I want to improve my blogging skill because I have never written a blog before and this is the perfect opportunity to learn and practice my potential online writing skills and in a language other than my mother tongue of Italian.
GIPHY: I am interested to know how to use platforms like Giphy because I use a lot of funny stickers in my communictions on whatsapp. I think it will be useful to understand the potential of giphy – GIFs and stickers for a company and brands. I plan to create a range of animated Gifs relevant to the corporate world.
Social Media Marketing: I would like to create engaging content for social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Tiktok because for me these marketing communications can lead to success for various companies, individuals and destinations too. Tiktok really works for me personally right now and I find the Lidl channel on TikTok compelling and effective. I do not yet have a LinkedIn account but my Trainer Christine is encouraging me to create a professional LinkedIn page that showcases my education, skills and my portfolio of work. She has also discussed the merits of Google Business profile and shared the benefits of posting on Threads by instagram too.
Visual Content Creation and Editing: I am able to take photos already but I know that my traineeship will require quality photographs for marketing purposes so I plan to attend a workshop in the Belfast Apple store and the course name is ‘Taking better pictures’. I look forward to learning more about the functionality of an iphone camera and I will try to use the tips and advice in my work over the next few months.
Video Marketing: Video content is an area that I’m excited to develop in because of its potential to elevate how I tell stories, share ideas and engage audiences. I’m particularly focused on learning both the technical and creative aspects of shooting and editing video content. This includes understanding framing, lighting, sound and how to use editing software. One tool I plan to utilise a lot in this process is the DJI camera because learning how to use the DJI effectively will allow me to capture dynamic footage. I also plan to attend another Apple store workshop on ‘How to take better videos’ and this should also improve my capability.
I see a lot of value in training with Christine. As a Chartered Marketer who has worked within the marketing industry for over 20 years she brings experience and insight that I believe can help me improve my skill in a short time frame.
Finally, I know that consistent practice is key. By regularly creating and refining my videos, photos, graphics and copywriting I look forward to further building my confidence, sharpening my skills and developing a unique style and portfolio of work that I can proudly show to others.
My work placement is located within Creative Space, a shared workspace with a number of different businesses on the 6th floor of Belfast Central Library and I am permitted to also work from other locations and to work from home too. I have only ever previously worked in a kitchen so I have not had experience of remote working and I am curious to compare how my motivation and productivity at home will compare to when I attend the office. Experiencing Belfast and Northern Ireland: Now let’s talk about what I want to visit in Belfast and around Northern Ireland because exploring new places is one of my favourite ways to get inspired and I enjoy connecting with culture, art, nature and local life. So here is my personal wish list of places and experiences I’d love to enjoy: Coffee SpotsI love exploring cafes with character. In the centre of Belfast there are a lot of coffee shops and I’m trying to find a shop that sells coffee like in Italy. I hope I can find one! Giant’s Causeway
Since I saw this place in a photo I can say that I fell in love with it. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic natural wonders. I’d love to walk across the incredible columns and capture the dramatic landscape on camera – another way to practice my photography and videography skills. Titanic Museum
I don’t really love history but I am very interested to visit the Titanic Belfast museum and I think it can offer a deeply immersive look into the ship’s history and the city that built it. Botanic Gardens & Surroundings
This area includes the Tropical Ravine, Palm House, and the beautiful gardens around Queen’s University. There is also the FE McWilliam sculpture and the Naughton Art Gallery—a great blend of nature, architecture and culture. Belfast Cathedral
I’d love to explore the Cathedral during the day, its architecture and spiritual ambiance are a big draw for me because it is reaped in history and culture. Zip Line Experience – Colin Glen
This would be a thrilling adventure, flying through the trees and experiencing nature in a completely new way because I have never done something like this before and I have to try! Victoria Square
On a clear day, I think that I have to go to see the panoramic view of Belfast from The Dome because it can be stunning to look to all the views from above. Umbrella Street
Cathedral Quarter is full of character, and culture. I’m really interested to visit the colourful Umbrella Street and the live music at classic pubs. It’s a great way to experience the heartbeat of the city. And the umbrella street is really beautiful! My Trainer Christine who is a WorldHost Ambassador for Belfast and Northern Ireland also recommended me to go to Joy’s Entry for an ‘instagrammable photo’ and she signposted me to a blog that lists the most instagrammable spots in Belfast. Iconic Pubs
In addition to the coffee shops, I also want to visit as many pubs as I can because Ireland is known all around the world for their Irish pubs and I can’t skip these experiences. I have to visit first of all Fibber Magees, Harp Bar, Dirty Onion and Limelight but there are more – if you do have any recommendations find me on LinkedIn (yes, I have a profile to set up) and share your best pubs and coffee shops that serve good strong coffee! The Big Fish
Also called the Salmon of Knowledge this attraction is really characteristic of Belfast, it is located by the River Lagan and Belfast Lough, which is an inlet of the Irish Sea. Christine advised me to look at Visit Belfast social media to check out the splash video animation that went viral recently and also noted that the sculpture has newspaper articles that can be read. Cavehill, Belfast Castle and Mourne mountains
I want to hike up to Cavehill for the stunning views of Belfast, then stop by the castle for some history and a peaceful moment in nature. I also want to hike up the Mourne mountains and Slieve Donard, which can be started from Newcastle – a town where the mountains of mourne sweep down to the sea, is the tallest mountain in the range. I look forward to the incredible views.
Dublin
I’d love to explore Dublin for a day just to see some typical buildings and get a taste of the city vibes. I plan to take a day trip on the bus or train from Belfast and I am told that early bookings can sometimes be cheaper!
About Me
I come from a small town near San Marino in the province of Rimini. I am a really social person and I make friends in a short time in fact I love to spend time with my friends in my town and in the city where I study. I also love to spend time with my family. Until now I only worked in kitchens and I already had a traineeship in Malaga, Spain and it was a really great experience, I think I would recommend to anybody to do an Erasmus traineeship because it opens your mind and teaches you a lot of new things and skills.
