Interning at a major fashion magazine is not only a genuinely fantastic experience for any aspiring journalist, it can also be a pathway into a career in the industry.
So when Fashion Journalism student Rebecca Wayman secured a month long placement at InStyle, she was naturally delighted at being able to fulfil a lifelong dream of working in the industry and at the experience she would gain.
“Without sounding too cliché, it was always a dream of mine to work in London on a major fashion magazine,” she explained. “I applied for a placement at InStyle earlier this year, and receiving a confirmation email to start for a month in June 2016 felt amazing.”
However, upon accepting the placement, she was faced with a major problem - the cost of living in London. Without significant financial support, she would not be able to take her job of a lifetime in the capital.
After turning to the Futures Fund, Rebecca was provided with the money that allowed to complete the placement and enjoy a truly unforgettable month at InStyle.
Once there, Rebecca was immediately thrust into the heart of operations, sending promotional emails, ringing PR practitioners and helping to deliver and collect fashion items for shoots and upcoming stories.
However, the highlight of her time was getting the chance to work on a photoshoot in her final week. There, she was able to brush shoulders with celebrities, musicians and designers and gain a true insight into what daily life in the industry would be like.
Although the internship only served to reinforce to Rebecca that working in fashion is the career she wants to follow, it did provide her with a new route into the industry that she had previously not considered.
She continued: “Whilst studying, I did many of my own photo shoots at university and thought the route of fashion and styling was where my career was headed, more so than interviewing creatives and writing news and features on an editorial desk.
“My internship proved me wrong; I can be mostly anywhere in the UK; be it Manchester or Newcastle, and be perfectly happy in an editorial job – writing is what I now favour over styling.”
Since returning back to Sunderland, Rebecca graduated from the University and immediately secured an internship at Living North in Newcastle, something which she puts down to the fantastic insights and experience she picked up at InStyle.
“Thanks to this amazing opportunity on my CV, I managed to obtain another editorial internship shortly after at Living North in Newcastle, opening more doors and creating more contacts,” she added.
Rebecca remains hugely thankful for the support she received from the Futures Fund and urged any other student facing similar financial constraints to apply for help.
“The Futures Fund has helped me immensely in terms of personal growth and career goals. It is amazing to think I lived in London for a month, working for one of my favourite magazines. I believe this couldn’t have happened without my donation – it was an incredible help and I am so grateful.
“If you happen to be a Sunderland undergraduate and you’re looking for a bursary to help with an internship or a personal project you may be working on, definitely consider the Futures Fund’s Student Opportunity Scholarship. You don’t know where it will take you.”
Article written by Matthew Shevlin, University of Sunderland Journalism graduate