Category: Student stories

Start-up stories: Floom Creative

Posted on by Careers Service

Floom Creative is a sustainable and ethical brand marketing agency specialising in nurturing organisations with values rooted in environmental and ethical consciousness.

The Floom Creative logo, which shows that they are a Certified B Corporation.

Harvey, one of Floom’s directors, tells us his story of graduating from the University of Bristol and how his degree inspired him to create Floom as a vehicle for businesses to share their sustainability stories authentically and impactfully.

Can you tell us a bit about your start-up?

Our team offers a unique blend of experience, combining my in-depth sustainability knowledge from completing an MSc in Environmental Policy at Bristol University in 2022, with fellow Director, Fin’s expertise in video production and documentary making.

We specialise in creating narratives for brands that have their values rooted in environmental and ethical consciousness.

In September 2024, Floom became B Corp Certified, a significant milestone reflecting our dedication to meeting high social and environmental performance standards.

A photo of Harvey, standing outside in the sunshine with trees in the background.

Our collaborative approach ensures businesses can access the best of both worlds: striking visuals and data-driven marketing that maximise a brand’s reach and impact.

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My SME Internship: Max – The Education Company

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Hi, my name is Max. I graduated in 2023 with a Physics BSc. The SME Internship Scheme gave me the opportunity to source a 4-week internship at a small/medium company I found interesting. 

A photo of Max, smiling outdoors.

In December 2023, I interned with The Education Company as a data analyst. The Education Company provide insights to the education industry – my role was to see how Python could be integrated into their analytical techniques. 

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My SME Internship: Ollie – Rebellious Co

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Hi, I’m Ollie and during my second year studying Politics and International Relations BSc I completed an internship with Rebellious Co in Bristol. 

Rebellious Co. operate informal “Rebel Meetup” events for entrepreneurs working all over the world who were born in Bristol. Their aim is to use entrepreneurship as a vehicle to disrupt the status quo. I met the founder Ash at the Bristol chapter, where I suggested the SME Internship idea. 

Ollie, smiling outside in the sunshine, wearing a white shirt, with a backdrop of lush green trees and blue sky.

My role was to research, develop, and add a syndicate investment model to the existing community system. This work aligned with my interests in start ups and venture capital and helped me hone my skills.

I also supported Rebel Meetups globally. This included finding event sponsors, editing slides, and joining town hall events with global meetup hosts. 

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Hidden benefits of the Bristol PLUS Award: From Internships to preparing you for post-graduate life!

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The Bristol PLUS Award logo

Hear from 4th year MSc Chemistry student, Zahria, who achieved her Bristol PLUS Award in the 2023-24 Academic Year, whilst also securing a summer internship with telecommunications company BT! 

How has PLUS prepared you for your future once you leave university?

The Bristol PLUS Award has played a great role in preparing me for life beyond university by giving me a clearer understanding of navigating my career journey. It also opened my eyes to many career resources available at the university, that I would otherwise not have known about!

The activities required to achieve the PLUS Award helped me build and showcase key transferable skills that employers value such as teamwork, communication and time management.

Zahria smiling on a beach
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Five unexpected transferable skills a PhD can offer for your future career

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It is a common misconception that choosing to do a PhD narrows your career pathway to the world of academia. However, for many of our alumni, the skills and experiences they gained during their research degree have led to a range of diverse and exciting careers outside of academic research.  

A new series of postgraduate research alumni profiles, supported by Research England’s Enhancing Research Culture funding, showcases this diversity. Alumni stories from across Arts, Engineering, Science, Health, and Life Sciences reveal the breadth of skills and experiences a PhD can provide.

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Graduate Stories: Working as a graduate hardware engineer at Ocado Technology

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Hi, I’m Louise, I graduated from the University of Bristol in 2022 and I now work at Ocado Technology as a Graduate Hardware Engineer.

A photo of Louise in her graduation robes.

My university experience

In 2018 I began studying for an integrated master’s degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. The first three years of my degree were transformative in building my confidence and passion for engineering.

One of the best extra-curricular activities I did during my time at university was being a Course Representative as this helped me to get to know both my cohort and my lecturers. During my second year I also completed the Bristol PLUS Award, a programme organised by the Careers Service. The best thing I gained from this programme was learning how to articulate the value I had gained from my extra curricular experiences in my CV and in job interviews.

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My SME Internship: Emilia – Action on Poverty

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Hello, my name is Emilia, and in my final year of studying French and Spanish I completed an internship as a fundraising assistant with the charity Action on Poverty.

The charity supports vulnerable communities in East and West Africa. It works to tackle poverty, injustice and inequality. I completed this internship working for around 10 hours a week from January to May.

Emilia sitting on a rock, smiling, with a city in the background.

I found that this worked well and allowed me to balance working and studying. The internship was entirely remote and was a great introduction to working remotely.

I learnt that a lot of charities are now entirely or partly remote, so that they can cut down on office costs. 

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From Wills Memorial to the Palace of Westminster – my Civil Service Fast Stream journey

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Hi, I’m Annie, a Bristol graduate (BA English, MSc Public Policy) currently working in the Ministry of Justice as part of the Civil Service Fast Stream graduate programme.

Back in 2018, when I decided to study English at Bristol, careers were the furthest thing from my mind. I was passionate about reading and literary history, especially the political contexts of my favourite novels, plays and poems, and knew that Bristol would be the perfect place to develop.

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My experience taking part in Not Impossible microplacements

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Hello! My name is Archie and I have been participating in the University’s partnership with the work experience platform Not Impossible.

My experience with Not Impossible started with an email entering my inbox, with the promise of microplacements due to the fact I was from a widening participation background.

Their system creates short-term, 1:1, one-hour to one-day, work placements with Bristol and Bath employees smart-matched to you – within your sector, using an online skills and interests tool and psychometric tests that identify shared motivations, reasoning skills and personalities.

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