Student Name: Kornelia
Pathways Programme: Pathways to Marketing (2026 Corhort)
Internship Role: Marketing & Social Media Assistant
Internship Employer: Double Elephant Print Workshop
Summary of Organisation: Double Elephant CIC is an open access community printmaking studio. We are a not-for-profit artist-led studio that offers courses in fine art printmaking (lino, screenprint, etching, letterpress, drypoint, collagraph etc). As well as courses and a membership programme to support independent use of the studios, we run a dynamic outreach programme – delivering print workshops in schools, prisons, hospitals, festivals and with community groups. As with all printmaking studios, we are run on a freelance, part-time and voluntary basis. Unlike most other print studios however, we run ambitious projects and partnership work linking print with heritage, social prescribing and research. We are a very small team (of approx 8 printmakers) who all work on a part-time basis. Our printmaker members number approx 80 and we work with over 5000 people a year delivering courses and workshops.
Please briefly outline the project/tasks/responsibilities you worked on during your Professional Pathways internship.
“I designed four promotional postcards covering Outreach, Courses, Membership, and Editioning/1:1 for their upcoming THG exhibition and future use as well as conducted a website and social media review, providing areas for improvement. I also developed strategies to engage and retain younger audiences, including campaign ideas, community partnerships, and opportunities to leverage Exeter’s local events. Also, I photographed and filmed studio sessions as well as a collaboration with DE, Exeter College, and the National Trust, built a portfolio of photo and video content for future marketing use and produced four Instagram Reels complete with recommendations for relevant trending audio.”
How has the Professional Pathways programme helped you in taking the next steps in your career?
“The Professional Pathways programme has helped me build my confidence in the marketing field, coming from a Sociology degree background. During the training, many of the professionals outlined their various qualifications, education, and background, which made me realise that I won’t be at a disadvantage in the working world of marketing. They made it clear that what matters is determination, networking, and the experience you seek out. I’m grateful for the responsibilities I was given during my internship because I have tangible examples of what I can do, rather than just the theory, and it was amazing being surrounded by people who trusted and valued my input.”
How do you think this experience will impact on your employability as you enter the job market as a recent graduate?
“I have started looking at and applying for entry-level roles, and what stands out most in job descriptions is experience in a business. Many jobs don’t require a specific marketing degree (which is what I was worried about!), instead they value hands-on experience in things like SEO, website management, content creation, project ownership, communication with influencers, affiliates, stakeholders, etc. Granted, it’s difficult to cover everything because there are many areas of marketing, but it’s been so helpful to turn around and say “yes, actually, I do have some of the experience you’re looking for, and I am willing to learn the rest”. Therefore, showing that you made an impact within a business matters, and it looks great in a portfolio too (which is also something these roles have been asking for!)”
What advice would you give to a student who has to complete an internship via remote or hybrid working?
“The professional pathways internship was the second internship I secured through the university that involved remote/hybrid working, so I definitely think I got the hang of this working style in the end! It’s often said to make sure your surroundings are neat and quiet, but what I think is even more important is to make remote working part of your routine. What I mean by this is, don’t wake up at the last minute just because your laptop is a few feet away from you. Treat your morning as your ‘commute’ to wake up and give yourself a better structure, as this will improve your focus throughout the day and make you feel much more productive. It’s important to separate work and home life, and this type of internship will help you determine whether remote/hybrid working is something that makes sense for you in the future, so my advice is to actively try to have a routine before your remote work begins.”