Publicis Health Media - TU Takeover
Upon graduating high school and trying to decide on the right college to attend, a lady once said “Get that big ‘T’ behind your name. It will take you far.” As a senior in high school, I did not fully understand what that meant. Honestly, I really did not grasp the full meaning of her advice until I started my 2017 Summer internship at Publicis Health Media as a Temple Student entering their second semester of senior year.
On the first day, it was clear the internship program was bleeding cherry and white at the Philadelphia office. Many of the interns I knew from previous courses from the advertising department. It turns out that twelve of the seventy-two interns that were chosen nationally are Temple University students – most of them being from the advertising department (not Fox School of Business – no shade!). Even many of the full time employees I remember having class with during previous semesters.
So that girl that sat in the back of your digital analytics class, she is now your coworker that you are collaborating with on a campaign for a huge client. And that senior you had an advertising elective with during your freshman or sophomore year, he is now your manager you are reporting to on a weekly basis. That is the reality of the advertising industry in Philadelphia.
Now, I am not surprised we Temple Students are capable of soaring to great heights in any industry of our choice, but I am surprised by how many communication degree programs in our region are so far behind that their students are having trouble competing with students who are entering internships already equipped with the skills that are now in demand at advertising and media agencies. Based off my experience interviewing for internships, employers are impressed with the tangible and real world experience I am able to showcase during my interviews.
So what does this mean? Temple students are just going to continue to dominate the field and the top internship programs in Philadelphia as long as advertising is an employable industry? As much as the owl in me wants to answer yes, this is a huge indication colleges and universities in our region need to follow our lead and update their communication curriculums to help students gain experience in growing field like digital advertising, analytics and content strategy. Taking course like Google Online Marketing Challenge, Digital Analytics and Search Engine Optimization is what set me apart from the hundreds of candidates that applied for my position as a Paid Search Intern. I was able to take my course work and use it to showcase my skills and abilities as a young advertiser. It is evident that students in outdated programs are not likely to be top competitors when applying to jobs after graduation. Colleges and Universities to start integrating courses that focus on helping students produce work that is relevant to the jobs that are growing in the advertising industry right now. Doing so will have employers lined up to meet some of the fresh talent that is emerging from that college’s new and improved advertising curriculum.
My advice to any advertising students who are still trying to find their niche in the industry is to not be afraid of trying new things, take courses you have never heard of before and let your light shine on every group you are working with. A little bravery, curiosity and friendliness will go a long way. Take advantage of that “Big T” that is now and will always be attached to your name throughout your career.
