Business Placement

Tell us a bit about your background.

I grew up in Hertfordshire, did English Literature, Economics and History at school and left during COVID (which feels like a lifetime ago!). I go to the University of Leeds and I study Economics and History. I’m a part of many societies, including Ballet and Girls Training Together, and love to spend my days on campus studying, going to fitness and dance classes, meeting up with friends, and, of course, going to my lectures.

What is your role at British Airways?

I am a Future Leader Business Placement at British Airways. On my placement year I worked in the partnerships and sponsorships team, leading and managing relationships with multiple partners and working on projects to save the business money and create great products and experiences for our customers. I’ve worked on projects including American Express presents BST Festival, a Saudi trade expo, brand licensing, BrewDog, product placement, and launching our new partnership with the Times. I also supported our creative team on shoots across the year.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned since starting?

The most important thing I’ve learned is to be proactive. One part of this is to talk to people. Building connections has been so helpful on my placement, and so interesting to learn about areas of the business I didn’t even know existed! I’ve been able to go to events like Farnborough Air Show and shadowing dispatchers because of the connections I’ve made in BA. You also make connections outside of the business, networking with all different types of people from many different businesses. I also mean be proactive in terms of work and projects, if you hear about a project or experience you like the sound of, ask about what it is and if you can be involved – these are great learning experiences, and you never know who you may meet and what you could learn!

What top tips would you give to students wanting to follow in your footsteps?

• Be brave, and look for opportunities anywhere and everywhere, the best ones may not be the easiest to find.
• Be open to roles in any industry or area.
• Take the time to set yourself goals for a year in industry and what you want to achieve.
• Learn about the role you are applying for and make sure it aligns to your goals.
• Learn about the company you are applying for and ensure it aligns with your values.
• Be proactive, be curious and ask questions – people want to help you.
• If you don’t know what kind of area you’d like to go into, that’s okay! The aim of a year in industry is to figure this out and explore what you do/not like to do and how you like to work.