Kate Beveridge/Lloyd (Shield – 2002) is currently working as Operations Director of a PR and Digital Marketing agency, having studied French and Italian at Exeter University. Kate spoke to the Hurst Foundation about what she has been up to since leaving the college, as well as some of her memories of her time as a pupil.

Kate told us that she had absolutely no idea what she wanted to do when she left Hurst, and it was only when she saw a “giant wine bottle” at her university careers fair that she applied for a job at Majestic Wine. Kate was accepted onto the company’s graduate training programme and worked for a few years as an Assistant Manager in their Retail department. Kate told us that “retail work is hard, but retail work in wine is also very fun! Majestic supported my training throughout – I now have the equivalent of a GCSE in wine and spirits”. Kate then moved on to working for a wine specialist PR agency, which gave her the opportunity to use her passion for both writing and languages much more, and then switched industries, and is now running an agency specialising in aviation, travel and mobility. She told us that PR is a “great industry to be involved in” and that her “analytical, creative and commercial mind” has been key to her success in climbing the ladder so quickly.

Kate’s key piece of advice to those who are thinking about their future careers is this: “Don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to do. You will learn from any job and can apply those skills to something you may have never even thought of”. She encourages students who “like writing, talking to people and can think creatively” to consider studying PR or communications at university, or find an agency that offers an apprenticeship. Kate also dispelled the stereotype that PR is just a smaller part of marketing; she said that it is “hard work” and a “can make for a very rewarding career”. Some of Kate’s highlights in her career journey so far are testament to this; she has flown in private jets, eaten in the world’s best restaurants, and arranged for her clients to appear on the BBC, ITV, and international television.

Looking towards the future, Kate plans to continue working in PR and communications. She told us that “communicating is so important, especially during challenging times”. She also loves working in a team, nurturing junior staff to success, and helping businesses to shape and communicate their message to stakeholders. Though Kate has certainly achieved a lot since her time as a pupil, she still has very fond memories of her time at the college. She told us that “we had a great year group and my favourite part was all of us being together in St. John’s, playing pool, studying, and generally having a nice time”.

We thank Kate for taking the time to speak with us. If you wish to contact her about pursuing a career in PR, please do so via the Hurst Foundation website.