Graduate Placement makes a real difference

With a graduate placement agreed the business then had to find the right candidate! 

They managed to do just that in the shape of Orkney born Fashion graduate Martin Turner. Martin was able to slot seamlessly into the team giving momentum to the Shetland Woollen Co. brand development.

“Martin really fitted in well from day one. When we were thinking about the brand and speaking about what we wanted it to be, we were all on the same hymn sheet. He really grasped what we were thinking. We couldn’t believe our luck really," says Sarah.

With their new website having undergone a soft launch while final adjustments were made, the business was already enjoying a boost.

"As well as individual sales we’ve seen a massive increase in wholesale enquiries too, sometimes from markets we don’t even currently sell to, so the brand work is definitely having an impact on our discoverability.

“Martin has run with the project really well, it’s come so far so quickly and it really is his project. He brought the right skills to do things such as editing the website and he’s learning new skills all the time – yesterday he was doing some coding for the first time.”

Programme offers a lucky break

Martin grew up in Orkney before heading to Galashiels in the Borders to study fashion and design at the Heriott Watt School of Textiles and Design. After moving to Shetland with his partner in 2019, he struggled to find a role which would allow him to use his fashion qualifications.

While at high school, Martin worked in the Orkney shop of Scottish fashion designer Kirsteen Stewart, and later returned on summer breaks from university to undertake fashion-focused internships.

“A lot of what I was doing was an entry-level version of what I’m doing now around marketing, social media and the website, as well as some design projects, so it was really valuable experience for my current role. While that was all very guided, I’m now a lot more self-led. Having that experience under my belt meant starting out in this role was a lot less daunting.”

The opportunity came at the right time for Martin. He had graduated around two years before and felt like the longer it took to find work in his field, the less likely it was he would find something. The placement has allowed him to develop new skills as well as building on existing strengths.

For Martin, the main benefit of the scheme is the ring-fencing of positions for those just starting out on their careers. “The scheme narrows the field so you’re not having to compete with people who already have more experience. It can be hard to get started, especially if you want to work in the Highlands and Islands in a field like this where jobs don’t come up often. It’s a great way to take the first step into the career you want to have long term, and to get the experience and professional network that will help you get there.”