Annabel Palmer on placement

Annabel Palmer is the latest student to join Harper Adams’ own Marketing and Communications Department for her year on work placement. It is a placement that regularly attracts interests from those students who are business-minded, creative, want to work hard and learn lots of new skills. And yet to begin with the 21-year-old didn’t fancy the idea of a placement at all.

“Initially the thought of doing a placement year put me off, but now I see the benefit in it. I have learnt so much in just a few weeks, and will come out of uni with a year’s work experience over most graduates. It looks great on your CV. You’re a more confident person with a better idea of the real world. Plus it prepares you for the long working hours after you graduate!

Annabel, from Leicestershire, says: “As a Marketing Assistant in a busy department I’ve got lots to do, including being the Student Editor of the Alternative Prospectus and working at the open days and technical shows and events that Harper Adams exhibits at.

“So far, I have thoroughly enjoyed working at the shows on the Harper Adams stand and am looking forward to a busy summer of shows and events across the UK. I have learnt a great deal whilst on placement, but it has been particularly interesting to see how the theory I learnt in my first two years at Harper is actually applied within a marketing department.”

The BSc (Hons) Business Management and Marketing student says it was the university’s rural location that first attracted her to harper Adams, along with the small campus and “being with likeminded people. I love it here! After transferring from another university because I felt I didn’t fit in, I really felt at home at Harper Adams. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming when I arrived later than everyone else.”

Annabel especially values the support and individual attention students receive here. “The staff support is very good. Students are known individually, they’re not just a number. There’s always help on hand if wanted.”