AFTER THE FRA: MONICA, CRM ASSISTANT AT FRASERS GROUP

We're proud of the amazing accomplishments our students and graduates achieve, both during their time at the Fashion Retail Academy and after their graduation.

We spoke to Monica, who studied Level 4 Digital Marketing for Fashion, about her experience at the FRA and her role at Frasers Group.

What course did you study at the Fashion Retail Academy?

During my time at the FRA I studied Level 4 Digital Marketing for Fashion. 

What were your favourite elements of your course? Were there any challenges?

My favourite elements of the course was how diverse it was. I didn’t just learn about digital marketing, I learnt industry skills that I can use in the future.

The challenges I faced during my time at the FRA were mainly related to time management. Getting everything done on time was often tricky, whilst also juggling my personal life, However. I always had great support around me to ensure if I ever needed help I knew who to speak to. 

What did you learn on your course and what projects did you particularly enjoy?

I learnt a wide variety of skills from my course. I not only learnt all things digital marketing which included aspects of social media marketing, email marketing and more! I also learnt about the importance of external skills that may not directly be related to marketing, but are still essential. For example, finance related skills which are used daily within the industry. My favourite project was my last project about reinventing a brand. This project gave me optimal opportunities and I was really able to let my creative side flow! 

What is your role and what does your day to day look like?

My current role is a CRM assistant for Frasers Group. My day to day varies, however a normal day involves some meetings with various teams such as the trade team, finance team etc. A regular day also heavily involves creating emails, push notifications and more in order to market Frasers Group to customers. 

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in fashion?

My advice for someone considering a career in fashion is to be patient. The industry is very competitive and requires a lot of hard work. Therefore during this time it is easy to loose hope, patience and faith in what you want to do and also in your own self confidence. This can lead you to accepting roles that are right for you or loosing track of your goals!

So just remembering to be patient is vital as everyone is different; it can take everyone a different amount of time to enter the industry. Everyone is on their own journey, and eventually with hard work, determination and most importantly patience you will enter the industry at the right time in the right role for you. 

What do you like about your role?

I love how my role builds customer relationships and loyalty. As a customer myself I am aware of how important it is to have a relationship with a brand. If I have this relationship with a brand and I truly love them, I will keep coming back to them. Therefore, being able to make that connection with customers who can keep coming back to Frasers Group makes my job so enjoyable as I know the true impact I can make on a customers shopping habits. 

Do you think your course prepared you for working in industry?

Yes, I believe my course prepared me for working in the industry. We had various industry talks, and undertook various activities which prepared us for what the industry would look like. 

What advice would you give to someone wanting to study at the FRA?

My advice would be to go for it! It’s the best decision I ever made. I met loads of amazing people, learnt loads of amazing things, and ultimately it set me up for my future career. Just remember that the FRA have your best interests at heart and are always there to support you.

How has your FRA experience helped you in your career?

My FRA experience has massively helped me in my career. This is because I learnt skills which I carry out daily in my current role. I was also lucky enough to have great lecturers and mentors who helped me enter the industry as smoothly as possible which is I couldn’t have done alone. I also experienced some incredible things such as going on placement, industry talks and going on trips which really furthered my knowledge of the industry I am working in now! 

What advice would you give to someone wanting to go to the FRA?

My advice to someone who wants to go to the Fashion Retail Academy is to be ready to work hard, experience amazing things that you wouldn’t experience any other institution and just remember that the FRA is super unique and an opportunity like no other so do not miss out!