Welsh PR and Social Media Agency, Petersens, have been working with Cardiff University to provide remote internships and work experience placements during lockdown.

• Petersens PR is working with Cardiff University to provide students and graduates with work opportunities during lockdown
• The University’s Careers & Employability Department are encouraging students and businesses to consider remote placements during social distancing measures
• The Work Experience Team uses the Santander Internship Scheme, which has just announced £4.5m in support for virtual placements to address the youth unemployment post-pandemic

The agency, which recruits a few students and graduates for work experience opportunities every year, has been working with the University to ensure placements are conducted in accordance to the latest coronavirus guidelines, whilst remaining realistic and educational.

Recent reports have warned that youth unemployment could reach one million in the coming year, with around 800,000 students graduating into a job market in crisis as a result of coronavirus. Petersens and Cardiff University are aiming to provide career experience that will allow graduates to progress into the Communications sector once social-distancing measures are lifted.

Cardiff University, which was a Finalist in the Best University Placement Service Round of the NUE Awards in 2019 and 2020, provides over 800 work experience opportunities to its students and alumni every year.

“We have been fortunate to work with Petersens PR for several years to give our students and graduates a taste of the PR sector”. says Anneka Bisi, one of the Career Department’s Work Experience Project Officers. “Over the past 5 years, all interns placed through the Santander SME Internship scheme have continued to work with Petersens PR after their initial internship. This is a great testament to the team and really highlights the impact of the scheme on both our SME partners, and our talented students and graduates.”

Cardiff is one of 85 universities who partner with Santander to provide funding for student employability schemes, such as Internships and Work Experience. Their Covid-19 Initiative will see £4.5million go towards Universities conducting research, producing PPE or supporting NHS in the fight against coronavirus, as well as grants to local SMEs to support the provision of digital and remote internship schemes. With nearly 70% of employers cancelling work experience opportunities, Petersens is one of the few businesses to continue offering these internship schemes, the latest one starting just one week into lockdown.

“We have been able to employ a number of interns throughout the year as part of the Santander Internship Scheme” says Rob, the Founding Director of Petersens. “It allows us to reward interns in return for their time and commitment. SMEs like mine do need financial support to be able to give graduates the experience they need to be able to progress in their careers within the Communications Sector. Some of my interns have ended up in very high-profile jobs within the sector so I believe that we do give a rounded experience over their time with Petersens PR”.

Petersens is a dynamic communications consultancy offering a comprehensive approach to handling PR and marketing. They are a full-service agency offering high-quality marketing, events, advertising and PR services.