This week, we sat down to chat with Elle, a marketing executive who is one of BioGrad’s longest-serving staff members. We’d like to introduce you to the person overseeing our social media strategy, PR and events and share her journey from apprentice to marketing executive.
At the age of 17, I found myself working in a children’s play centre with no clear direction or sense of purpose for my life. Despite this, I was determined to pursue something novel and unique in my career.
While I was looking for my next step, I came across an application to complete an apprenticeship at BioGrad. I didn’t know what an apprenticeship was or what it entailed, so after completing some initial research I knew that it was for me, it was a change and it would help me grow and develop as well as take me down an interesting career path, so I immediately contacted Dr Kenny for the position. I obviously must have done something well on my application because I was invited for an interview and was offered the role on the same day!
I started my two-year apprenticeship at the City of Liverpool College in October 2017 and my first day at BioGrad was a whirlwind that set the tone for my time there. The staff were really friendly and there was such a variety of activities that I could get stuck into, it was incredible.
During my apprenticeship the Education arm of BioGrad was the leading business, because of this I had the opportunity to travel across the country with Dr Kenny herself. We visited some of the top private schools and universities across the UK. I had the opportunity to attend New Scientist Live, one of the largest festivals showcasing the impact of science, technology, and engineering in shaping the world we live in. This experience helped me build my interpersonal and influencing skills and increased my confidence when interacting with diverse groups of people.
I had the chance to gain more understanding and insight into both medical and scientific fields. It was exciting to see how many students had an interest in pursuing careers in medicine and science and how interested and excited they were by BioGrad’s course offerings.
During my business apprenticeship at BioGrad, I gained valuable insights into the workings of a multi-award-winning business. I completed my course with distinction after two years. Subsequently, I was offered a position as a social media executive, which I happily accepted.
In 2020, during the pandemic, I was part of the core team that worked on the company’s pivot from an education provider to a diagnostics provider. Initially, we aimed to help partner schools stay safe and remain open. The directors, Dr. Kenny and Matthew Fagan, later extended this service to the wider public and commercialised it for other businesses as well. Providing affordable gold-standard healthcare to everyone was our top priority.
During our downtime, the Education team worked on developing course provisions and setting up pre-med Diploma and Certificate programs as well as teacher and scientist boot camps. Once the education arm of the company was able to trade, we welcomed hundreds of students back to our labs and resumed our business operations.
The company has shifted its focus from COVID-19 testing to biobanking, while still providing gold-standard healthcare. Currently, BioGrad BioBank provides long-term cell banking for NHS trusts, academic researchers and UK families who wish to guarantee safe storage of their samples within the UK at a fraction of the price compared to other companies in the market.
I have been working at BioGrad for more than 5 years now. When I applied for the apprenticeship, I never thought that I would accomplish so much. I am grateful that I took a chance on myself and that BioGrad gave me an opportunity.
