Metric x RRC Polytech: Sofiya and Chris

The Metric team loves to host student work placements - a side effect of doing what we love, and finding an audience of people who tolerate us talking about it all the time. Last month, we welcomed Sofiya and Chris - two students from RRC Polytech - for work placements with our team.

From Lindsay (Metric's Creative Director):

Our team loves to host design and communications students and it’s always a fantastic experience. We do our best to welcome them onto the team and let them see and experience as many aspects of our work as possible. 

It’s important to us to involve them in real projects, meetings, and discussions - so they can see what it’s really like to work at an agency, and if that’s a career path they’d like to explore in the future. And we benefit too! Hosting students here is always so rewarding for our team. Showing others what we do helps us fall in love with our work all over again, and the students bring so much positive energy with them. It’s also a way for us to give back and invest in the future of our industry, which means a lot to me - and to the rest of the agency. Winnipeg is full of incredible marketing talent and we’re lucky to work with some of the very best here at Metric.

Thanks to our clients for allowing us to bring our students to meetings and presentations - we know you’re as invested in helping people learn as we are!

This term, we hosted Sofiya from RRC Polytech’s Graphic Design program and Chris from Creative Communications. Both students were so talented and they jumped right into the experience. They joined us in a wide range of projects from designing logos to audience and competitor research to social media audits.

From Sofiya (Graphic Design):

What did you think working at an agency would be like?

Before starting my placement at Metric Marketing, I imagined an agency as a busy environment filled with the stress of tight deadlines, high expectations, and many restrictions.

What was it actually like?

In reality, working at Metric was so great. Contrary to my expectations, the atmosphere was far from stressful; it was welcoming and supportive, with everyone incredibly lovely and approachable. People who I worked with always made me feel like I belonged and I knew I could ask for help anytime.

What did you learn while you were at Metric?

My time at Metric was very educational, especially in terms of growing my skills in client presentations. I learned that things often don’t go right the first time, and you have to keep trying and improving. This helped me understand how to handle projects and make them better each time.

What is one piece of advice that you’ll take forward with you?

A valuable piece of advice I’ve garnered from my experience is the significance of teamwork and open communication. Communication is the key. Being part of a team where everyone supports each other really helps everyone do better. Daily morning check-ins helped me understand that, and I’ll always remember that for my future jobs.

From Chris (Creative Communications):

What did you think working at an agency would be like?

I didn’t know what to really expect from an agency. I feel like most of the media that I consumed of it whether that be on social media or TV shows/movies made it seem like it was the best place ever, where ideas would just pop into people’s heads. So naturally I expected the opposite of that.

What was it actually like?

Entering Metric Marketing, I discovered a vibrant workspace where creativity was cultivated through research and strategy, and where collaboration turned that well-oiled strategy into impactful campaigns. This experience defied the expectations I held beforehand and the combination of professionalism, care, and spirited energy redefined my view of the marketing world.

What did you learn while you were at Metric?

Something I learned at Metric Marketing was the importance of research. When I started at Metric Marketing, I wasn’t sure what I was going to be doing at the start of my work placement. At the beginning of the work placement, I was doing a lot of research about different schools, and I learned to really like doing that research. I had a lot of fun doing competitive scans on different schools and finding their strengths and weaknesses. Doing that strategy allows for an easier time while creating a campaign by knowing how other schools are standing with their own messaging and finding ways for Metric’s Clients to find their path with their messaging.

What is one piece of advice that you'll take forward with you?

Something I learned about Metric Marketing was the value of teamwork. During my time in Creative Communications there was plenty of teamwork, but I didn’t realize how much of a part each person in a team plays and how value everyone is to their team. Teamwork has always been important to me so I am very happy that there will be plenty of teamwork.

If you’re a student who is interested in securing a work placement at Metric - or if you’d like to join our team - please check out our Careers page and get in touch with our HR team.