12 Feb All Aboard The Cheese Express

As members of Guernsey’s Young Business Group (YBG), Lucretia and I attended the latest monthly networking event at White D’Or, lured by the premise of mozzarella sticks and grilled halloumi, we grabbed a fresh stack of business cards ready for an evening of networking (a.k.a. inhaling halloumi).

But whilst we are devout halloumi worshippers we were also intrigued to hear from the evening’s keynote speaker, Laura Clayton, Editor at Bailiwick Express Guernsey. Laura talked about the benefits of work experience and how it set her on a career in journalism to ultimately reaching the position she has with Bailiwick Express today.

Work experience is always a great way to, you guessed it, get experience in the world of work, but whilst most people think of work experience as that week-long placement you do during secondary school, did you know you can do it on your own steam at any stage in life? Whilst taking night classes or distance courses are a great way to get onto a new career path, work experience is a fantastic alternative should you be able to make the necessary arrangements; start by contacting HR departments/individuals in relevant companies within the industry you’re trying to break into – don’t be disheartened, not every company is going to jump at the opportunity, but it can only take one “yes” to get what you need.

As the evening progressed, and the halloumi reserves rapidly diminished, Laura described her joining Bailiwick Express Guernsey and how the company has rapidly developed over the past couple of years since expanding from its original base of Jersey, it was really inspiring to hear how Laura and the team have grown this digital news offering in Guernsey. Bailiwick Express started life in Jersey before launching in Guernsey in 2017 and the company has filled a much-needed requirement for quick and accessible news via digital platforms, so much so, that their social media following is already hot on the heels of the local news industry stalwarts. All-in-all, an inspiring evening learning about Laura’s career path and the rapid growth of Bailiwick Express all washed down with copious halloumi and just a drop of Prosecco, ’twas a school night after all.