G.H.Hurt & Son and Nottingham Trent University

A Symbiotic Relationship

Giving young professionals a head start works both ways

G.H.Hurt & Son enjoys a long-standing relationship with local University - Nottingham Trent Uni’, going back over 25 years. We have always supported their Knitwear design courses, each year giving young Knitwear Designers a 12-month placement opportunity to work with us and get valuable hands-on work experience with knitwear design and knitted textile production.

However, in recent years, the nature of our business has evolved. Although our core business is still knitwear manufacturing, we are now a digital business too. So, we have additional opportunities for other creative, design and digital business skills too.

Gillian Taylor, Director at G.H.Hurt & Son commented: “It’s really very encouraging to see so many bright, enthusiastic young people here, all at once. More by luck, than judgment, we are now hosting 4 NTU students at the moment. This has come out of working more closely with NTU, so they have a better understanding of our current business and future development”.

Elee Smith: MSc Digital Marketing

Elee is an NTU Graduate, having previously studied BA Photography, graduating in July 2017. She came to G.H.Hurt & Son via an NTU Summer Graduate Internship in July 2017, for 10 weeks, to get a hands-on and her first experience of digital marketing. Having returned to NTU to study MSc Digital Marketing, she elected to continue with us on a part-time basis, two days per week, until she finishes her post-graduate course in Sept 2018. Her visual communications skills have proved invaluable creating a wealth of digital content, which is then deployed across our web-shop and social media platforms.

Hannah Bartter-Clamp: BA Fashion Marketing and Branding

Hannah is currently in her second year and elected for a 10 week NTU Spring Undergraduate Internship - through March, April, May - with G.H.Hurt & Son to gain valuable work experience of marketing and branding in the workplace, as well as acquiring hands-on skills with digital marketing. Hannah is using her academic knowledge to evaluate opportunities for our own branded collection. Her other projects with us include social media management, as well as developing marketing materials for our branded Autumn / Winter 2018-19 collection and other digital content creation.

Amy Connor: BA Fashion Knitwear Design and Knitted Textiles

Amy is in her 3rd of 4 years with NTU, training to be a knitwear designer. Her third year is spent within the industry. Having just completed a 6 months stint with Marc Jacobs in New York, Amy has joined G.H.Hurt & Son in Nottingham, for a 6-month placement, from April to September. Amy will get a rounded experience of knitwear design and production, working in all areas of our manufacturing. She will also support knitwear design and get the opportunity to develop some of her design ideas on our latest knitting machinery.

James Taylor: BA Business Management and Marketing

After completing A levels, James worked for a digital agency in Nottingham’s creative quarter, whilst studying the CIM Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing. This experience inspired him to study NTU’s joint award BA Business Management and Marketing. For the past two years, James has worked with G.H. Hurt & Son on a freelance basis on a number of projects covering both international marketing and digital marketing challenges. Most recently, working with internet bloggers and influencers to develop our brand amongst key audiences.

It is a symbiotic relationship, for both G.H.Hurt & Son and the NTU students. They get valuable work experience, as often it is their first experience of the professional workplace. We get new insights, as the NTU students bring the latest thinking in design & business and take a fresh approach, which can be useful in a creative & design-oriented business.

Gillian adds: “We make sure they get real projects. We encourage them to make decisions and learn how to work independently, which is a valuable skill in the workplace today”.

"Having been involved in the Nottingham Post ‘Women in Business' awards recently, I’m also conscious that three of these four students are young ladies. It’s greatly satisfying to me that 3 young female professionals have an opportunity to experience manufacturing early in their careers. Hopefully, it will inspire them to consider a career in our sector”.