A group of ambitious business students recently had the opportunity to see what it’s like to work at creative agency Cherry’s head office in the Southbank. Split into five groups, each one was assigned a different department to work with, giving them a taste of what each team does and the projects they undertake.
Cherry staff from the creative, copywriting and design teams set up different tasks for the students to undertake in each session, allowing them to learn about the job roles of each team in the company. The students spent the day working on these tasks, producing work in each session to present to the team members about the decisions they made about each task. This experience provided the students with insights into what each role entails, as well as how the business runs preparing them for their next steps after education and giving them an insight of the world of work in the creative industries.
Jack Bear, Account Manager at Cherry said: “We had a great day with Southwark College students, here at Cherry offices. NextGen is an important programme to us, as we want to be able to inspire the next generation of creatives, specifically young people from Southwark. This workshop was a fantastic opportunity for the students, and for us at Cherry to be able to meet, network and motivate young people in the borough to continue striving for success in their chosen field.”
Joseph Glaied, a business student at Southwark College, said: “I had an insightful experience at Cherry, where I learned about effective marketing and advertising strategies. The team's energy and creative spirit were contagious, and I gained valuable insights into storytelling's crucial role in advertising. The session highlighted the importance of data analysis in understanding user behaviour. Witnessing the combination of artistic expression and data-driven insights at Cherry has inspired me to explore this field further and apply the knowledge to my future endeavours.”
Scott Peasey, Vice Principal of Southwark College said: "Collaborating with NextGen and Cherry has been an exciting initiative for us at Southwark College. It has provided our business students with the opportunity to gain valuable insight into the minds of professionals and a comprehensive understanding of what a career in the Creative Industries entails.
“Working alongside diverse departments and senior members of staff in such an innovative and cultured business has been a great experience for our students. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Cherry and exploring more opportunities to inspire and showcase the vast possibilities in the Creative Industries."
Cherry is a creative agency specialising in health-care advertising based in Southwark. The day of workshops was facilitated by Good People and their youth programme NextGen.
If you're looking to pursue a career in the business or creative industries, head over to our courses page to learn more and take the first step towards your career goals southwark.ac.uk/courses.