VANESSA D/O SUNDRASAGAR, 19

Course | Duration| Year of graduation
Diploma in Mass Communications (eight months | 2009)

Institution
Shelton College International - Staffordshire University

Choosing my course
I choose to enroll in the Diploma in Mass Communications program because I am very interested in the advertising and media industries. I like the idea of competing with myself and others by striving to create innovative advertisements, which capture the attention of people and put the message across clearly.

My course experience
I found my lecturers to be really helpful and friendly. They taught me more than I could learn from books. The course met my expectations as it gave me an in-depth look into the advertising and media industries, and how it has evolved through the years. The assignments gave me a chance to hone my creative talent. This helped me in my internship as I was able to suggest various advertising ideas to my boss at the company I work at. I was also able to make some flyers, set up online advertising campaigns to boost product sales and create public awareness of the company. In addition, I did copywriting and implemented some design ideas to enhance the company's website.

I also learnt that advertising is fast paced and a constantly evolving medium. This meant that I would always have something different to work on. I also liked that the advertising industry is all about thinking out of the box, which pushed me to tap into my creative side and channel all my ideas into fulfilling the demands of the client.

Looking ahead
I will be taking up the BA (Hon) in Mass Communications at Staffordshire University.

My advice
I would advise students to find out more about the school they plan into enroll in and, before committing to one school, they should take the time to think it through and discuss things with their family.

My internship
Part of my studies requires me working as an intern in a company. Shelton set up an interview with Collagen Science Pte Ltd, which is located at Tanglin Shopping Centre, so I can gain work experience. I enjoy facing new challenges every single day at work that can either be about designing the website or finding the right way to advertise without being pushy. I feel that this made me more patient, able to think on my feet and not be discouraged at the smallest problem I encounter.