This week I was with the marketing team at The Student Housing Company HQ doing work experience before I head back to school in September.
Before my week with The Student Housing Company I would have never even have thought about living in private halls, but just 5 days at head office and visiting the sites has completely changed my mind. I’m now definitely considering private halls once I do get to university. This week of work experience has not only taught me a great deal about the marketing world, but also that private halls are also most likely the future for students. They cover everything a student needs and wants throughout their 3 years at university, it’s so easy.
As The Student Housing Company hold many properties across the country, this week I travelled to several different locations to visit the properties they own. The first was in Cardiff. The halls are still being built, but just being able to walk around the building and see the floor plans made it clear that this was a safe and fun environment for any student who chooses to attend university. The shared common rooms look great and would ease that fear every student gets that they won’t meet people or make good friends at uni. Also the location of Arofan House was ideal for students too, surrounded by roads full of students with shops and down the road from all the best places to go out, plus just a short walk to Uni.
Southampton was next – Crescent Place was much larger than Arofan House, and as it was a finished product so it was easy to see why everyone was loving it! The building looks great and the staff were a young team who were clearly in tune with what the students wanted. I spent the day with them, assisting with phone calls and queries, from students living there from September. Speaking to students all over the world made me much more interested in living in private halls, as the variety of students seemed much greater, more friends to go travelling with after! I also helped with viewings which again challenged this ‘stigma’ I had about private halls, as I got to meet the students who would be living in there. The team in Southampton are so friendly and make sure the students feel as though they can ask them whatever they like – I asked a few questions myself! In the evening i headed out to a football match with Ben one of the team and had a great time!
Just 5 days with The Student Housing Company and it was clear to see why in just 5 years they have excelled so far as a company. The teams I have worked with were all young and friendly, know students really well and wanted to make uni a great experience for the people they’re meeting. Not only have I loved my week here, but I also feel it has been massively beneficial to me, I’ve learnt loads about marketing, something I’ll now consider as a future career. So if anyone fancies some work experience or internships up at HQ this summer I highly recommend it.