A Journey of Success

Empowering University Students Through Internships

We are excited to share with you the incredible success story of Brittany Greig, a driven and dedicated student who embarked on a journey of growth, learning, and achievement through a carefully designed internship opportunity at SolarPulse and our industry partner, Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS).

Course overview:

Brittany successfully completed the MKTG 304 Digital Marketing course at UOA, where she acquired invaluable expertise in online paid advertising and honed her skills in optimising marketing campaigns through tools like search engine optimisation and keyword analysis. This industry-focused, skill-based course provided students with hands-on experience, enabling them to collaborate with peers while utilising cutting-edge industry tools to evaluate existing digital marketing strategies for businesses and devise innovative improvement proposals. This course also gave students the opportunity to complete industry-recognised certifications that covers key aspects of digital marketing. Brittany said, “this course gave me confidence that I had learnt enough knowledge on digital marketing to apply it to a real life business, and to work with a team where I could provide valuable insights”.

The Beginning:

It all started when SPS approached the University of Auckland in search of a Marketing Intern for a three-month period. Although not mandatory for her academic curriculum, Brittany Greig’s proactive nature led her to seize this opportunity. Intrigued by the recruitment email from her professor, she reached out to SPS. Throughout her training and internship, Brittany demonstrated unwavering dedication, enthusiasm, a can-do attitude, and an exceptional ability to learn and apply new skills.

The Challenge:

Transitioning into a completely new environment and an unfamiliar industry can be quite intimidating. SPS, being an Engineering Procurement and Construction company specialising in renewable energy, posed a unique challenge for Brittany. The challenge that Brittany was facing is that when you study you get the base understanding of what your future career might hold, however when you are working in the industry that your main education is based on it is a complete whole new world. It can feel like you are sky diving of a plane, at first you only have an idea of what this experience might hold, but once you jumped you get to learn how to navigate and enjoy experiencing a whole lot of digital marketing implementations software, techniques, adverts, and strategies. One of the biggest challenges that Brittany faced was to learn a lot of technical details that solar business entails in order to portray it in her content creation, digital marketing strategies, and blogs. The other factor was getting to know software and applications.

The Progression:

After the learning process has begun Brittany shown that she is very capable, motivated, fast to learn new skills, and proactive in any tasks coming her way. The main thing to remember here is whether you are a current student or a recent graduate with your first field related job, always ask questions. Brittany’s diligence and determination, combined with supportive teamwork, transformed her career trajectory. She discovered that valuable experiences are gained by learning on the job, equipped with the right tools and a supportive environment.

The Opportunity:

Brittany’s triumph over challenges earned her a significant role within the team – post internship she transitioned to become a Content Marketing Assistant on a paid basis. As the team expanded to include more interns, Brittany’s knowledge became an asset to newcomers. Her ability to execute marketing initiatives effectively skyrocketed. With her upcoming completion of her studies in November 2023 and graduation in May 2024, Brittany’s journey has led her to secure a paid full-time position with us. The opportunities the students get from finding the right internship placement can and will lead to securing a full time job by the time of the graduation.

The Success:

Brittany’s journey didn’t end here. Beyond her initial role, she embraced new opportunities. She explored the electric vehicle charging industry before transitioning to work with SolarPulse, a partnering solar company. Here, she played an important role in Research and Development, Brand Creation, and Website Building. Brittany’s skills contributed to the growth of a new company, demonstrating the symbiotic relationship between personal and organisational advancement.

The Present:

Today, Brittany thrives at SolarPulse, broadening her expertise across an array of systems, skills, and digital marketing strategies. Her journey exemplifies the potential internships hold for nurturing genuine industry practitioners.

Here’s some valuable advice from Brittany for aspiring marketing students: 

My advice to marketing students is to consider enrolling in courses like MKTG 304 that challenge you to step outside your comfort zone and collaborate with new peers. Additionally, I highly recommend dedicating extra time and effort to earn marketing certifications, such as those offered by HubSpot, Meta, and Google Ads. These certifications are appreciated by employers, and allow you to learn at your own pace and equip you with the essential knowledge to navigate various marketing tools and platforms, a crucial skill in the world of digital marketing. It is important to recognise that coursework alone may have its limits. In my experience, the most profound learning opportunities came from pursuing internships. Internships not only provide you with hands-on marketing work experience that enhances your CV but also offer unparalleled learning experiences. For example, during my internship with SolarPulse, I gained insights and knowledge that proved to be the most valuable in my marketing journey.

In conclusion, SolarPulse and our Industry Partner SPS are dedicated to nurturing students in the renewable energy sector. If you’re interested in joining our internship program, opportunities are currently available in areas such as business administration, accounting, and electrical engineering and electrical trades apprenticeships. Reach out to us at enquiries@sps.live or enquiries@solarpulse.co.nz to apply.

For more information on the renewable energy landscape, feel free to contact us.