“I’ve always had a huge interest in the media and this degree is a perfect step into that industry,” she says. “With the media-scape changing so quickly and playing such a massive and influential role in our lives, my study is super relevant and relatable. I was thrilled to be able to study communications at UC.”
A key highlight for Chelsea was the opportunity to gain valuable work experience.
“Despite spending most of my degree working from home due to lockdowns, I loved the hands-on experience that formed part of the degree. I was able to work with real-life businesses and organisations, including Christchurch City Libraries during the Social Media course and Cultivate Christchurch as part of the PACE Internship programme. This meant I could use my knowledge and skills and build interpersonal skills which are huge in the working world, especially in the media industry.”
Chelsea credits her work experience for enabling her to secure her new job at MediaWorks.
“I organise, plan and execute all Mediaworks Taupō radio-brand promotional campaigns. This includes trailer writing, recording on-air crossovers and ad-libs, and posting and planning social posts for local social media pages. It also includes writing and recording daily local news, community notices and voice ads, as well as organising onsite outdoor activations. I get to be super creative as well as strategic, and work in an industry which I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid.”
Chelsea’s UC student experience also played a complementary role in shaping her future career aspirations.
“I was an executive in both the UC Health Society and UC Women’s Wellbeing club which focused on the mental health of students. It was super cool to put my passion for mental health together with my communication skills when working in those groups,” she says.
“At the moment I hope my impact is making someone smile. Long term I hope I can make an impact with different campaigns, raising awareness for things I am passionate about, but if I can just continue to make one person’s day better through my work I feel like I must be doing something right.”
The Bachelor of Communication was introduced three years ago to help prepare students for work as journalists, public relations practitioners and communication advisors. The first cohort of graduates marked their achievement at UC Graduation celebrations on 31 August.
