By Jacob Topp-Mugglestone, Junior Developer & Wagtail Consultant
When I joined Torchbox as a developer, I was worried. I had no previous web development experience. I was coming from a very different background of laser and plasma physics, where I’d used Python to simulate what kind of conditions hitting a sample with a laser might get, or analyse just what kind of densities my latest experiment might have reached – but never to manage someone’s website!
After finishing my Physics Masters at the University of Oxford and then trying out research, I found that what I loved most was coding – so I started looking for a job where I could do that full-time. Torchbox jumped out at me as somewhere I’d have the opportunity to try a range of different projects, and I was excited about their ethical focus as well – so I applied. Thankfully they were willing to train me up on the web development side of things.
In the month before I started, I was able to meet some of the team at a Wednesday lunch and for a punting trip (in turn, they were also introduced to my baking obsession). During this time, I did some reading up on Django and database design, but once I started in earnest, this got a lot more practical. My line manager, Nick Smith, and the head of the Tech team, Helen Warren, came up with some requirements for a test website to build to get the hang of Django fundamentals, as well as arranging code reviews from the rest of the team. While building that, I also got involved in a little support work for our existing client sites.
Soon, my first big project began. The Motley Fool were sponsoring extensions and development on the open source Wagtail CMS, which Torchbox founded. I was excited to get the opportunity to work on such a big open source project – I started contributing in small ways, with documentation updates, then minor feature changes like adding a way to disable moderation, but quickly was able to gain experience with the support of Karl and Matthew, the other developers on the project. I always felt supported, no matter what I was taking on.
Before long, I was able to get stuck in to developing Wagtail Content Import: an app for importing documents from Google Docs into Wagtail StreamField (since then I’ve had the opportunity to expand it to Word documents as well). From then on, I was nearly full time on this work (as well as some support work for our existing clients). I loved the diversity of it, since it gave me opportunities to pick up experience in all sorts of areas. Over my first year at Torchbox, I’ve developed apps like Wagtail Image Import (my first React-heavy project), Wagtail Content Import and Wagtail Draftail Anchors, helped on others like Wagtail Transfer, and worked on big features for Wagtail itself – of which the biggest, Workflow (a fully-customisable moderation system) has just been been officially released as part of Wagtail 2.10. Early this year, I also joined the Wagtail core team, responsible for keeping the project going, so I’m looking forward to staying involved with Wagtail’s development, with work on features like inline commenting in the edit view and page analysis tools planned for the near future.
I’ve just finished my first year, and thinking back on it, I couldn’t have asked for a better combination of a supportive environment and constant new technical challenge in which to grow into a developer role. The tech team has always been keen to provide advice and learn from each other, and on the other side, there’s always interesting new requirements from clients driving development.
Jo Johnson and Steve Stanley appointed following investment
Access Creative College, an independent college for the creative industries, which launched a new state-of-the-art campus in Bristol in 2019, has made two senior appointments. The move signals its continued commitment to education and learning within the creative industries in the city.
The announcement follows a significant year for Armstrong Learning group*, the owners of the College, during which it secured investment from Apiary Capital, announced its new Bristol facilities and welcomed the National College for the Creative Industries (NCCI) to its portfolio.
Jo Johnson has been appointed by Access Creative College as Chair. The former Minister of State for Universities brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in education, technology and the creative sectors. Jo will provide leadership and guidance to the College, helping the team to navigate the educational environment in which it operates during a period of growth.
Steve Stanley has been appointed as Director of Evaluation and Impact. He has worked in education for 33 years. Around half of which, was as an inspector at Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate. As a former inspector, he brings an aptitude for assessing the impact of the curriculum on learning. As an educator, he has expertise in how education can make a positive difference to the futures of young people and adults.
Jason Beaumont, Chief Executive at Access Creative College, comments,
“Welcoming Jo and Steve to the team is big news for us. They will help us to have a voice on a national scale and deliver education and learning that students want and industry desires.
“The creative industries will be a very different place post Covid and we are aware of the challenges ahead. But, with the creative industries sector having grown at a rate more than twice that of the total UK economy over the last decade, we are confident that it will bounce back.
“By adapting to change, bringing in the right expertise and listening to the needs of our students and the wider industry, we’ll be in the best position to provide meaningful education for the new creative economy and continue our track record of high student achievement and progression.
“There are exciting times to come. As we approach our 30th academic year, we are focused on growth at our existing sites and in new cities. We are adapting our curriculum to support the increasingly digital market and we are extending our commitment to support BAME learners, staff and minority communities within the College network.
“Our passion to help young people from a diversity of backgrounds prosper in the creative industries remains constant, and at the heart of what we do.”
*The Armstrong Learning Group owns Access Creative College and Coaching Connexions and delivers creative industry apprenticeships under licence to NCCI Ltd. as part of a partnership with South Essex College and DfE.
This article was written at the outset of COVID-19.
Having gone through the set-up of home offices, and the adoption of new business practices, processes, and tools, many now can’t wait to get back into the office. Why is this?
It is because the choice to do so was taken away.
According to recent research by Forbes, millennials in particular have struggled to adapt to working from home, which is hardly surprising given that they had no choice in the matter. What is absolutely critical here, though, is that this is not a struggle to adapt to remote working, it is a struggle to adapt to isolation. The opportunity to go to the gym, see friends, eat out, visit family, or indulge in any of the escape mechanisms that life usually affords us has been curtailed, and this is a struggle that I’d guess most of us are feeling.
Despite running a creative agency specifically set up to work remotely, I too am desperate for a change of environment, and that is because this is not really remote working. However, there has been a shift in working practices which is unlikely to be completely undone even upon the return to the office, so how can we make the most of this moving forward?
If the role of the office is likely to change, along with greater flexibility and working practices what is the key to remote working success?
The difference between those organisations that have been forced into adopting new working practices and those already set up to operate remotely is choice. Do not underestimate how important a factor this is, and it works on two levels. Recently, the Harvard Business Review investigated the link between levels of motivation and working location, finding working from home to generally be less motivating. Critically, though, they also determined that this suffered a huge plunge when the option to choose the environment is taken away; being forced to work from home is the worst possible option. Human beings react negatively when their freedom to make a choice is removed, and this ‘psychological reactance’ generates such negative feeling that it’s unsurprising motivation dwindles as a consequence.
This leads me into the second branch of why choice is so important. As I mentioned previously, being forced to work from home is not true remote working. The effect on all of our lives has been drastic, and our psychological reaction has been one of stress and anxiety. But let me be clear, we must break the cognitive link that has been formed between forced isolation and remote working, because it is false. However unintentionally, we now associate it with this sense of cabin fever and lowered productivity that we are feeling, and this damages the true potential of authentic remote working.
98% want to work remotely at least some of the time for the rest of their careers.
Source: Buffer – State of remote report.
For many that have chosen to forge their own path away from permanent employment and the office, the choice to do so has been made accessible to them as a consequence of their level of experience and expertise. Their years within industry enable them to both perform their roles with a greater degree of autonomy, and fit this around other aspects of their lives; family, exercise, hobbies, personal projects etc. The difference here is that, whilst traditional agencies may well be ‘pivoting’ (sorry I know that word belongs in a box with ‘Agile’) away from the office, they do not benefit from the intrinsic culture of an organization comprised of people that have chosen to work this way. Well before the Covid-19 crisis, which has confused the reality of remote working with forced home working, the majority of companies had flexible working policies in place, and an investigation by Vodafone back in 2016 found that 61% of respondents reported increased profits, and 83% reported increased productivity.
Setting up Sparro House Creative, flexibility and wellbeing have been at the forefront of my mind, and it’s clear to me that these are inextricably linked not only with each other, but with improved output and increased value. With the level of experience in my teams, it benefits neither myself nor them to impose a work routine that fails to take into consideration both the other important things in their life, and the fact that they may well do their best and most creative work at 5am, perhaps before their children have woken up (hopefully!), or at their local coffee shop, in our clients offices or collaborating in shared spaces. This is true remote working – the option to choose how the work thread weaves into the rest of your life. It’s important this message is clear, this freedom reduces workplace stress and increases productivity.
Of course, this structure is dependent on trust between team members, including myself, that the work will be completed efficiently and to the highest standard. In turn, this trust is reliant on industry experience. It is the senior team members who have the expertise that allows them to work in this way and make effective and timely decisions. With the acceleration of decision-making caused by the current crisis, this is vital.
Janine Woodcock; professional coach, speaker and author of The Power of Choices discusses ‘Conscious Leadership’ with Sparro House MD, Paul Kirkcaldy.
Tuesday 8 September 2020, 11:00-12:00
The demand for greater choice, flexibility and meaning was challenging leaders to think differently about their approach to talent and the workplace even before the pandemic hit. Recent experiences have just deepened these desires and been a catalyst for broader change in how agencies work, behave and operate – as businesses, and communities of people.
What comes next for the world of work is not a ‘return’ to anything. It’s a transition to a new era and every business needs to raise their game when it comes to how they lead, the culture they create and how they support and leverage their best talent. Get the balance right and it will be a win-win for your business and the people you want to stay and draw.
Based on detailed research and hands-on experience in recent months, we will explain how agencies need to respond to these new expectations. We’ll share our knowledge and experience and explain how you can manage change in a way that sets your business up for success.
This event is for Bristol Media members only and aimed at all agency founders and leaders seeking valuable insights to help shape a positive and progressive working culture for their agency.
This is the third event in the Future Positive series. The next session on 7th October will cover how to create and manage business value. More details to follow on this.
Places are limited to allow for a more personal and productive discussion. To reserve your space, register here
Whilst this is a free event, we’d be grateful if members would consider making a donation.
Although some of our members have been unaffected by COVID-19, we recognise for others this is still challenging business climate so we want to do what we can to support. As many will know, Bristol Media operates as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company and revenue comes solely from membership fees and events. We receive no other funding or financial support. We’re hopeful that the donation approach will allow all members to continue accessing our events whatever their financial situation whilst also allowing us to replace some of the revenue we’ve lost over recent months. All our speakers give their time and expertise voluntarily. Thank you for your continued backing and we hope that you’ll be able to support this approach and look forward to being able to deliver a series of worthwhile events that our members enjoy and importantly find beneficial to their businesses.
We’re the business consultancy to add clarity, colour and confidence to your ambition.
We add our collective knowledge and specialist expertise to help you realise your full potential and value.
The Future Positive series will be run by the Tonic senior team, who will draw on their experience leading and guiding some of the best agencies through challenging times.
To find out more about Tonic, click here.
Are you a whip-smart, data-driven, digital creative? Do you know your way around Google Ads, love diving into the data, and can’t wait to assess conversion rates? Do you know your metadata from your HTML, your Business Manager from your Ad Manager, your PPC from your boosted post? Are you comfortable managing clients, acting as the face of the company and managing a team?
We are a guerrilla communications business focused on delivering reach for our clients and on our projects, working across tech, lifestyle, and environmental sectors.
We deliver PR, social media, SEO, branding and creative comms to a wealth of clients from start-ups, scale-ups, established businesses and beyond. Each member of our team has skills across these areas but brings a unique specialism to each project. We’re a tight-knit team of passionate, outgoing creatives who love to collaborate just as much as we like to take ownership of each project.
Driving up DA scores rapidly, launching brands digitally to critical acclaim, running ad campaigns which deliver above and beyond – and have trackable conversion… this is our norm, and we want you to lead on this as we continue to grow.
We’d like you to drive our digital activities both on specific projects, retainers, and for the OggaDoon brand itself, product/report launches, deep dives, analysis with recommendations, creative campaigns, and strategic insight. There is also the exciting element of working with online influencers and the digital world to create reach for our clients and their business, alongside inputting on press, social media, and other strategic brand activities.
Ideally, you have 5+ years experience of delivering impactful digital campaigns, with evidence and results to prove it. You are also adept at handling multiple projects at any one time, and like being part of a small team where your work and impact counts. You’ll be confident and comfortable leading teams and projects, getting the best out of people, identifying areas of opportunity internally and externally, and have experience working with a senior team to drive business growth.
For OggaDoon’s business development, you’ll be expected to deliver on personal KPIs for client retention and new business acquisition, transforming OggaDoon’s inbound. Building our reputation for digital marketing will be key, from delivering great work to speaking at events, delivering workshops and demonstrating the impact we’re bringing.
You’ll have responsibility from day 1: not just delivering projects on time, within budget, and achieving client goals, but also managing client relationships and invoicing.
Training is a key part of our OggaDoon culture. Some will be on the job training (OJT), some will be training we’ll pay for, and you’ll be expected to further your own career through your passions by attending meetups, doing online training, and more.
You can advance with this role: there is no glass ceiling and no restrictions. You’ll be a critical member of the team and it’s up to you to create an impactful force, both internally and for our clients, by bringing your expertise.
Our ideal Digital Marketing Manager will have:
We offer more than just an opportunity to stand out in a role that allows you to take control, in a team that lives and breathes marketing, tech and creativity.
We have a ton of benefits:
To apply, please send us a short slideshow that will bring you to life. This must include:
Our closing date is 30th June 2020.
Please send your application to [email protected]
Note: This is not a new graduate role nor would it suit anyone with less than 2-3 years experience. You do not currently need to be in a management/senior role to apply.
Izzy joined the team as Junior Content Producer Apprentice for Bristol Media & Ambitious PR just over four months ago and has been a fantastic addition, bringing news skills, a fresh perspective, and you may have even seen her behind the camera at some of our events! She’s provided an update of the last four months and what she’s looking forward to from now until December.
I’ve really settled into my apprenticeship role with Bristol Media and Ambitious PR, the time has flown by! With National Apprentice Week this month and my 4-month job anniversary, I’m updating on my journey so far…
I decided to become an Apprentice whilst I was in my final year of studying Media at college and working part time. When I initially chose college as opposed to A levels, all I knew was that I wanted to work in the creative sector. At the time, an apprenticeship hadn’t even crossed my mind as I thought they were typically only available in engineering or construction, and I was always told that apprenticeships were a last option if you didn’t get the right GCSE’s.
When my college classmates began applying to universities, I began looking for full time jobs. I found that after browsing through Indeed and Totaljobs with the keywords ‘creative’ or ‘digital’, every job that cropped up required experience. I went along to university open days and was tempted with the promise of higher paid jobs if I had a degree, but I wanted to start working as soon as possible and university had never interested me.
A friend of mine had finished an apprenticeship in business admin at the start of my second year of college and was offered full time job within 2 weeks. I was shocked at how easily she found a job, especially since she was still 17 like me, shortly after, I decided to research apprenticeships in Bristol. After reading through some job descriptions and requirements, I realised that it was a perfect fit for me. Many of the roles didn’t require experience and I would get an extra qualification by the end of it.
This was when I found a vacancy for a Digital PR & Content Apprentice for Bristol Media and Ambitious PR on the GOV.UK Find an apprenticeship site. The course I would take alongside the job was what initially attracted me, because my ‘lessons’ were taught by actual industry professionals, and the role was also one that would allow me to put my current skills to use (eg, video and photo editing).
I’ve been working for Bristol Media and Ambitious for 4 months now, I spend 2 days a week with each business then a fifth day with Cirencester College. I didn’t expect to be given as much responsibility as I have, but I’m happy that I have, as it’s given me the opportunity to prove to everyone what I’m capable of.
A part of my job that I’ve really been enjoying is the evenhttps://www.bristolmedia.co.uk/ts that Bristol Media host, I’ve had the chance to see and meet so many speakers and leading industry professionals. One event in particular I found interesting was a Focused Minds Vision keynote by Ros Boughtflower, where we learnt meditation techniques to improve our focus and performance at work.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing though, a challenge I’ve faced has been adapting my writing style. Until now, I’ve not had practise writing with a business tone of voice, so it’s been a bit of a struggle to keep my blogs and social media posts professional, but this is something I’m excited to develop and get better at as even after this job it will be useful.
I look forward to supporting the team with Social Media Week Bristol in June, I’ve never been before so it will be interesting to see how I can get involved. Also in June is the Bristol Media summer party, which will be a good opportunity for me to network with some of the members, and hopefully get some new industry contacts.
My apprenticeship finishes in December so it is important that I make the most out of my time with both teams and learn as much as possible from them to improve my chances of getting a full-time job afterwards. But for now, I’m excited to carry on developing my skills and finding out more about the creative sector in Bristol.
The beautifully shot three minute film www.uwe.ac.uk/aboutus/realworldfilm uses real students to tell an emotive story of what life is like at UWE Bristol and takes a new approach to promoting a university. The people of Bristol are being called on to support the film and vote for the film by clicking the ‘Like’ button beside the work. The winner will then be featured in the next issue of The Drum (23 July) in the Creative Showcase spread. The next two week’s are particularly special as work shown here will also be displayed at The Drum Live on Wednesday 9 July in a special Blippable Creative Showcase gallery.
Taking a new approach to promoting a university, the film entitled “The University for the Real World”, moves away from the usual factual, prospectus style brand films which often focus on facilities and courses. This film is designed to prompt an emotional connection in viewers and the resulting piece is a powerful representation of life at UWE Bristol, with an emphasis on preparing students for life and careers in the real world as well as access to the great range of social, leisure and lifestyle features of the city of Bristol. The stars of the film, 25 UWE Bristol students, are shown studying and gaining practical experience for their chosen careers in a range of UWE’s excellent facilities alongside their wide ranging leisure interests.
The film aims to highlight to prospective students that UWE Bristol is a top university for passionate people who want to succeed in their chosen career. It has been developed to show what makes UWE Bristol distinctive as a university and raise awareness and the reputation of the University both in the UK and internationally.
UWE Bristol is in the top six English universities for graduate employment and was placed 8th by The Telegraph in its list of top universities for getting a job in 2013.
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More InformationCommenting on her role in the film, business and management student Ellen Riis-White said: “The film made me feel emotional as I’m proud of the university and everything it has to offer…I truly believe this film is going to attract many to look further into all the incredible opportunities UWE, and the city of Bristol has to offer.”
Vice-chancellor, Steve West said: “UWE Bristol is an ambitious University with a real passion and commitment to transforming futures. We are engaged in ground-breaking projects that are inspiring people and improving lives across the globe. This film showcases some of the advances we are making in high-tech/advanced engineering, for example, the film features one of our business students who through her involvement with the UWE Motor Racing Society did her work placement with the Bloodhound Super Sonic Car project .
“Our top priority is to nurture the confident, agile and enterprising graduates that our society and economy needs – the individuals who will go on to shape our future. That is why it is so important that our students are part of these and many other innovative projects, and that we focus on real world experiences for all our students.”
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