Two fashion journalism graduates from the University of Sunderland took time out from their new careers to chat to students.
Rio Beadie landed a job with occasionwear brand Dressi after graduating and Louise Barber works as a Social Media Manager at Roxoa, who own luxury jewellery brands QP Jewellers and Gold Boutique.
The pair talked to current third year Fashion Journalism students about their new jobs in fashion and how university had prepared them for their careers. They also supplied dresses and jewellery for a prom fashion shoot organised by the students.
Fashion Journalism graduates Rio Beadie (left) of Dressi and Louise Barber (right) of Roxoa
Louise, who is a former intern at the mediaHUB, based at the university, said: “My new job as social media manager at Roxoa is going really well. I thoroughly enjoyed coming back to the university to show off what jewellery products QP Jewellers and Gold Boutique have to offer on their websites and to talk all about the brands during the photoshoot. I loved watching the outfits come together simply by adding jewellery to them.
“Being a mediaHUB Intern grew my passion for social media and to do that in a jewellery environment is something that I am so lucky to be doing.
“Currently I help promote all the jewellery products on our social media channels and I love to see our followers and likes grow each day, it makes me really proud of myself.
“When I did a three week placement at Red magazine in London last April, it grew my passion for the jewellery world so much so I am really lucky to have snapped up my new job so quickly during my internship at the HUB.”
Rio, who is from Newcastle, told students the knowledge and experience she gained on the Fashion Journalism course helped prepare her for a new career in the fashion industry.
She told students: “Any opportunity that comes your way, say yes to it. You never know where it will lead.
“At university you start terrified and think ‘oh no I have to learn all these skills’, but along the way you don’t realise how much confidence you are picking up at uni, in lectures, and by meeting new people at uni. It’s all getting you prepared for when you graduate.
“It’s definitely a confidence thing. You push yourself to do internships and you push yourself to try news things at uni and it all helps you in the long run and it helps you get jobs.”
Liz Lamb, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Journalism at the University of Sunderland, organised the event at St Peter’s campus in Sunderland. She said: ” It was great to welcome Rio and Louise back to the university and hear how well they are doing in their new careers. We love to hear success stories from our graduates and it’s fantastic that Rio and Louise passed on their experience of the fashion industry and inspired our third year fashion journalism students.”
A total of 90% of our Fashion Journalism students are in employment or further study within six months of graduating and the course has 100% Overall Satisfaction according to the National Student Survey 2017.
*If you want to study Fashion Journalism at the University of Sunderland visit https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/study/journalism-and-pr/undergraduate-fashion-journalism/
*If you want to carry out a work placement at Fashion North contact mediaHUB manager Paul Nicholson by emailing paul.nicholson@sunderland.ac.uk
