Alumni- Erin Wilkinson

Erin Wilkinson studied Tourism and Events Management from 2016-2020. We caught up with Erin about her career since graduating and how the course helped her prepare for her future career.

What is your current job title and what does your role involve?

I’m a Business Development Executive for a company called Workcast, which is an online events company delivering webinars and virtual events. The role involves learning about the online event industry, with a particular focus at the moment on how events run In 2021 and onwards after the pandemic. In my role, I’m responsible for developing the business by enrolling and selling to new clients, as well as helping clients to plan their corporate events. It’s a customer focused position, as I teach new clients how to use the platform.

How did studying at Northumbria help prepare you for your career?

In my 3rd year I did a placement year with Hilton Hotels. I worked as an event co-ordinator and this was a massive help in terms of gaining experience in a corporate events environment. This really helped me always be a step ahead in my interviews after university. The support from the University was also beneficial, especially the module I took in employability which was amazing for interview techniques and CV writing. I was involved in live projects during my time at Northumbria, such as planning and running our own charity event. This gave me a feel of working in the real world and helped me gain confidence for going on my placement.

Did you make use of the careers service during your time here?

I did use career services a little for helping with CV writing and helping me to decide which jobs to apply for. I used the online portal a lot to look for new roles and I feel that each one I applied for I was improving my application each time. I won’t lie and say it was easy to find a placement to suit me, I spent about 6 months applying for different things until I found one that was right for me.

What skills did you learn from studying?

One of the biggest skills I gained through my studies was confidence, especially the confidence to present ideas in front of an audience. I also developed fantastic research skills, as well as the ability to listen to others and work as a team to create the best outcome through group projects. I also gained relationship building skills, which helped me when it came to networking with potential employers on Linkedin.

What was the support from staff like on the course?

The support from teaching staff was always really good. They want the best from each student and I never felt worried to email and ask for help if I needed it. I often had 121 sessions with tutors and If I needed help they would recommend any books or resources that could enhance my understanding.

What advice would you give to students considering applying to the course?

100% apply. University has allowed me to grow so much as a person, but also build a career that I wouldn’t have been able to do without this course and all the opportunity’s it gave me.

As a graduate, do you give back to the university? Are you involved in any volunteering such as guest lectures? Are you part of the alumni association?

Since leaving Northumbria I am still in contact with a lot of my tutors. I have presented at the Institute of Travel and Tourism Events to new students looking to start a career in the Tourism and Events sector.