Our cJAM careers event helped Fashion Promotion and Marketing student Gabrielle secure a mentorship that led to an internship, part‑time work and now a full‑time role as a social media executive at The Good Influence.
When Gabrielle visited the Fashion Promotion and Marketing course at the University of Lancashire, she said, “it immediately felt personal and supportive - like being part of a family. The classroom-based structure and the warm, approachable tutors made a lasting impression on me. It was clear that I’d have hands-on involvement, access to valuable experience, and consistent one-to-one support whenever I needed it.” The strong sense of connection between the tutors and their genuine passion for the course reassured her that the University of Lancashire was the right place for her. “I knew I’d be in good hands, in an environment that truly values its students”.
Gabrielle’s explains that “the course offers so much more than just lectures and deadlines, it’s the events, trips and course get-togethers that truly made my university experience special”. She said, “the effort the team puts into creating a supportive, inclusive environment makes you feel genuinely valued. It’s the extra touches beyond the classroom that have made this course unforgettable, anyone would be lucky to be part of it.”
"The effort the team puts into creating a supportive, inclusive environment makes you feel genuinely valued. It’s the extra touches beyond the classroom that have made this course unforgettable, anyone would be lucky to be part of it."
— Gabrielle Wilkinson, BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion and Marketing
cJAM is a careers event where industry professionals visit the university, and students take part in short, one-to-one interviews to pitch themselves for work placements across the creative industries. Gabrielle says, “it’s an incredible opportunity to make connections, gain exposure, and potentially secure placements or work experience, as many of the professionals come with real opportunities to offer”. Gabrielle chose to take part in both second and third year because “it felt like a golden opportunity to network with influential people in the industry. Even just getting my name out there felt like a valuable step forward - every opportunity starts somewhere” says Gabrielle.
During her second year at university, she was awarded a mentorship at The Good Influence, a social-first creative agency through the cJAM event by a BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion and Marketing alumni. What started as a small opportunity quickly evolved into something much bigger for Gabrielle. It led to a summer internship, then a part-time role and eventually became her current full-time job. Being mentored by someone who had studied the same course and gone on to build a successful career in the industry was incredibly inspiring for Gabrielle. She said, “It felt like we were part of the same journey, and we developed a strong relationship that’s played a huge role in shaping my career so far.”
Gabrielle’s work experience lasted three months over the summer, and it later developed into a part-time role during her final year at university. She worked across two clients, Weleda and WillPowders, where she was responsible for creating new, engaging, platform-first content and editing it for posting. She also developed saveable, engagement-led content for their community groups, to help strengthen the connection between the brands and their audiences. Gabrielle was also involved in a wide range of projects and gained incredibly valuable hands-on experience that helped shape her professional skills.
Gabrielle’s work experience allowed her to apply real industry knowledge directly to her university briefs, which helped elevate the quality and relevance of her work. “It gave me a deeper understanding of how campaigns and content are viewed from a professional perspective, allowing me to approach my projects with a more strategic, industry-focused mindset”, says Gabrielle. This experience was especially valuable going into her final year, as it made her work feel much more aligned with industry standards and better prepared her to present herself confidently to potential employers.
She has now started working as Social Media Executive at The Good Influence, a role she stepped into immediately after completing her final year. “I’m incredibly grateful to have secured a position in the industry so quickly and to be applying what I’ve learned in real-world settings straight after graduation,” said Gabrielle.
The first and second year of her degree were instrumental in helping her secure her work experience opportunity. Through a wide variety of briefs, she was able to develop a broad skill set early on - ranging from content creation and styling to packaging design, trend forecasting and much more. This exposure to different areas of the industry allowed her to build a strong, versatile portfolio that impressed professionals and demonstrated both potential and creativity in her work. Gabrielle’s degree also gave her a solid understanding of the creative industry as a whole, which helped her adapt a good approach when pitching to different industry professionals.
