Sangeetha Dhandapani joined the Surrey Research Park team as a Marketing and Communications Placement Student in August, as part of her Master’s Programme in Digital Marketing and Channel Management from the University of Surrey.
Why did you choose Surrey Research Park for your placement year?
My area of interest lies in Business-to-Business Marketing. When I first came across the opportunity on Pathfinder, I wanted to learn more about the Park. I realised that there were nearly 200 businesses on the Park and thought what better place for a placement student to build her network and grow professionally. I was also fascinated by the marketing team and the projects they were working on.
What do you aim to achieve by the end of the placement year?
I want to make the most out of my placement year by practicing all the theory I’ve learnt during my term year while also developing significant transferable skills and confidence to enter the competitive job market.
What does your day-to-day look like?
No two days are alike – and that’s the best part. I’m involved with the management of the existing website, social media, student engagement activities, project managing and assisting photoshoots /filming, rollout of a brand-new website, large engagement events and, a lot more. I’m also the Ambassador of Surrey Research Park Placement Student Network 22-23.
What do you think about working at Surrey Research Park?
The beautiful campus and its proximity to the University of Surrey are the best perks for me.
Did you choose to work at the Surrey Research Park over other opportunities? If so, why?
Yes, I believed being a part of a small team would give me the opportunity to learn about the entire marketing mix, diversify my skills outside of my core skill set, and have more responsibility to have a greater impact.