Being part of the Digital Marketing Academy
In September 2022, we welcomed three Digital Marketing Executives to Torchbox, as part of the Torchbox Academy. This exciting initiative was designed to give people with little to no practical experience an opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills and experience they need to excel in a career in digital marketing. Here’s a round-up of Millie, Jack and Shalom’s Torchbox journey so far.
An image of Jack, Shalom and Millie
What attracted you to the Torchbox Academy?
Millie
I was first attracted to Torchbox upon discovering its core mission of using digital for good. When I saw there was an opportunity to learn about digital marketing from the ground up and work with amazing partner charities, I knew it was the programme for me. After just two months, I have learnt the foundations of digital marketing, from paid media to SEO and digital analytics.
Jack
I found out about the Torchbox Academy through my University’s career portal. The company’s values made the position sound really appealing. I consider myself to be a pretty ethical person, so receiving the opportunity to work in the third sector was of great interest to me.
Shalom
I had been looking for entry-level digital marketing jobs for a few months and, whilst most other companies were expecting 1-2 years of experience, Torchbox was more focused on knowledge and understanding of digital marketing. As someone who has done a lot of self-learning, I thought the Torchbox Academy would be a great place to continue learning.
What are you working on right now?
Millie
I have been assisting on some big Christmas campaigns for household names including Great Ormond Street Hospital and Samaritans, who launched their ‘Break the Silence’ campaign to help raise suicide awareness over the festive period. I have also created ads for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust.
Jack
Throughout my Academy experience, my work has been divided into training and educational sessions, presentations and client projects. I’m currently creating my first Google Ads campaign for Girlguiding, aiming to promote the charity’s activity centres. I’ve also created ads for Samaritans, Sense, Royal Society, and the National Emergencies Trust. Additionally, I’m also helping to plan the next Oxford Geek Night event (OGN53), as well as running the Twitter page.
Shalom
I am currently working on a full campaign plan for Girlguiding to try and decrease the CPA by 8%. This involves keyword research, writing ad copy, and strategic planning of the budget. During my self-development time, I try to improve my digital marketing knowledge by using Google Skillshop as well as attending training sessions for Google analytics, SEO, and writing ad copy.
Tell us about your mentor.
Millie
My mentor, Sam, has been so supportive throughout my time at Torchbox. His guidance and expertise have been vital to developing my learning and pushing me to achieve my goals. It has been incredibly gratifying to work alongside him on some of his larger projects.
Jack
Felicity has been incredibly supportive and helpful. We have a 1-2-1 check-in meeting every morning which is a great opportunity for me to ask any questions and share my thoughts. I’ve never had a mentor in a working environment before, and I’ve found it to be incredibly beneficial during my time at Torchbox.
Shalom
My mentor, Marnie, is a Digital Account Manager at Torchbox. I first met her at the Torchbox Academy day and, ever since then, she has been really helpful and made me feel like part of the team by trusting me with regular client work. We have regular 1-2-1 check-ins to discuss the plan for the week, and any challenges I may be facing, as well as to guide me through the Academy program.
Sam takes the time to listen to my questions and frequently asks for, and values, my input and ideas. I think it’s fair to say that we’ve become quite a team!
Millie Bullivant, Marketing Executive, Torchbox Academy
This has been an incredibly inspiring and rewarding experience for the team, mentors and academy students. Working on digital marketing campaigns for some of the biggest charities in the UK is no small feat; we’ve set them some tough (and fun) challenges but Millie, Jack and Shalom have shown nothing but enthusiasm, positivity, hard work and incredible eagerness to learn from the very first day. With the support of their brilliant mentors, Sam, Marnie and Felicity, I’m excited to watch the students grow in confidence and deliver work for our amazing charities.
