At TechSPARK, September is officially Talent Month. In partnership with our friends at Huboo Technologies, the award-winning order fulfilment service for eCommerce sellers, we’ll be bringing you features and events on all things tech talent in the South West.
As the Bristol Technology Festival approaches, event organisers and Bristol-based communications agency Purplefish have together launched a scheme to offer budding writers, photographers and videographers the chance to gain valuable training and work experience.
Running from October 10-15, the Bristol Technology Festival will bring together events, people and communities to share, learn and explore the technology developed in the southwest region. This year, we’re holding our annual SPARKies Awards during the festival. Make sure to check out the longlist here!
The theme for 2021’s festival is ‘changing the face of tech’, which carries a strong emphasis on taking tangible action beyond simply talking about a lack of diversity in the industry – some of the content created during the event will explore this important topic.
Marty Reid, Head of Engine Shed and Bristol Technology Festival organiser, says, “Our initiative with Purplefish offers young content creatives a tremendous opportunity to explore some of the most pressing issues facing our sector today, as well as gaining valuable insight into the latest innovations and trends in the region’s tech space.”
Over-16s with an interest in pursuing a content-based career are invited to apply for one of five work experience placements.
They involve 20 hours of work across the week, paid at £9.50/hour. Full training will be provided, with each trainee working closely with an experienced member of the Purplefish team, which is operating as Bristol Technology Festival’s official communications partner.
Established 10 years ago, Purplefish is a content, PR, social media and events communications specialist built on a strong foundation of technology industry expertise.
Its highly experienced team prides itself on strong involvement within the Bristol community, this latest initiative underlining its commitment to providing local talent a platform to build career-enabling experience.
Joanna Randall, the agency’s founder, adds “We know how difficult it can be to break into this line work, where experience is often demanded by employers as a pre-requisite to taking on new hires. That is why we will be providing five trainees with full training, access to experienced team members and a reference on completion of the placement.”
Indeed, no previous professional experience or specific knowledge is required – all we ask is that applicants demonstrate a keen interest in Bristol and technology, a can-do attitude, strong work ethic and enthusiasm.
In order to apply, content creators should submit an example piece of writing on a personal passion (500 words or less) accompanied by two drafted social posts of the same theme. Applicants can submit their application over email to hello@purplefish.agency before September 17.
Successful applicants will be expected to meet the Purplefish team and attend a training session before the event. Event tickets, transportation and equipment will be provided.
Shona Wright
Shona covers all things editorial at TechSPARK. She publishes news articles, interviews and features about our fantastic tech and digital ecosystem, working with startups and scaleups to spread the word about the cool things they're up to.
She also oversees TechSPARK's social media, sharing the latest updates on everything from investment news to green tech meetups and inspirational stories.
