A Cornish marketing company is proving that local business can thrive even in the face of a global recession, by taking on two new graduate copywriters in just a few months.
The John Knowles Company, which serves such international giants as Mitsubishi from its offices in Penryn and Falmouth, has created the new job opportunities in co-ordination with Unlocking Cornish Potential, the Combined Universities in Cornwall’s graduate placement scheme, part funded though the ESF Convergence Fund.
Neil Roach, UCP’s business development manager, said: “It is great to see a Cornish business showing confidence and progressing, especially in this economic climate. Graduate-level vacancies in the creative sector can be like gold dust, but the two excellent new graduates that JKC has taken on indicate the calibre that’s available.”
Far from suffering in the current economic climate, JKC’s pragmatic approach has seen the company busier than ever, as clients transfer branding budgets to more results-focused marketing techniques, and the fresh talent will enable the firm to keep developing new services in the face of this workload.
Both new writers have recently graduated in related fields: Karen Cotton with a First class honours degree in Journalism from University College Falmouth, and Tom Nash with a BA (Hons) in Linguistics from the University of Manchester.
The UCP scheme helps progressive companies to create roles for graduates; providing them with mentoring and training as they complete key business development projects.
JKC provides a complete range of tailored marketing services, from website creation to telemarketing, so Karen and Tom will get the chance to glimpse – and learn – all aspects of running successful high-end PR campaigns.
Tom, the most recent arrival, said: “I was beginning to worry that I would never get the chance to put my degree to good use, so this job was like a lifeboat for me. There are so many people around with talent going to waste; it’s fantastic to see the company giving the recession one in the eye by taking on new people.”
John Knowles, managing director of JKC, added: “We are delighted to have Tom and Karen on board. Their skills will allow the company to provide new and better services for our clients, and ultimately allow us to accept more work.
“We’re living proof that with confidence and the right attitude, Cornish businesses can weather the most destructive financial storm, and come out stronger than they went in.”
