Alexia Ramsay

A part-time job with a primary health organisation while studying led to an exciting digital marketing and communications role for Alexia after graduating.

When it came time to decide what I was going to do when I left school, I thought about what I was passionate about, what I loved to do, and what I value. Combining my passion for sport, my love for exercise and helping others, and the value I place on my and others’ health, I knew I wanted my career to be in health. Marketing has always fascinated me too; it amazes me how much marketing we are exposed to daily, and the impact marketing can have on our behaviours. I decided to combine both my interests in a Bachelor of Health, majoring in Health Promotion and minoring in Marketing.

What I enjoyed most about Health Promotion was its holistic approach. The courses consistently addressed the social determinants of health, such as understanding the role played by culture in how people interact with the health system. I also loved the emphasis on, not just what we can do to empower people and communities to take control of their health and wellbeing but how we can do so, with a strong focus on Māori and Pasifika people. My assignments always challenged me to deepen my understanding and think more broadly about my own view on a topic. I enjoyed having my minor in Marketing and applying what I learnt in this subject area to health.

When I was applying for jobs at the beginning of my first year, I was ideally looking for a role in the health sector as I knew a foot in the door would be a great help with employment once I had completed my degree. I was fortunate to be offered a data entry role at Tū Ora Compass Health, the largest primary health organisation in the Wellington region. A couple of years later my position was no longer needed due to technology changes. This led me to write an expression of interest letter to our human resources manager and the CEO outlining that I was keen to continue working for an organisation whose values aligned with mine and was open to any opportunity to use the skills I’d developed from my health and marketing studies. I was offered a part-time position for the next six months, while I finished my degree. During that time, I developed a social media strategy for the organisation and after completing my degree, I started full time and began to implement the strategy I had written.

I am still working for Tū Ora Compass Health, now as a Digital Marketing and Communications Advisor. In this role I run the social media channels, which aim to raise awareness of our work and initiatives in the community that will encourage behaviour change and better health and wellbeing outcomes for our population. I develop communication plans for internal projects, produce marketing content to support national campaigns such as Mental Health Awareness Week, and create graphics and branding for teams across the organisation. I love my role and I feel very privileged to able to combine both of my passions for health and marketing.

The transition from study to work is certainly a big lifestyle change. While you spend a lot of your time at work during the week, your weekends are your own with no worry or guilt of assignments that need doing and your bank account looks healthier than it did as a student! I’m someone who thrives from routine, so I love working life as it’s a lot more structured. If you are about to transition from study to work, be excited! This is the next chapter of your life and I continue to learn things every day whether it’s about my job, myself, or the health system. There are so many opportunities and career pathways in this sector, so reflect on what you’ have enjoyed the most and what you’re most passionate about from the degree and follow that path.

I will always be grateful for the skills I learnt over my three years at university—skills that I still use daily at work and in my personal life. These include diligence and self-motivation, prioritisation, critical thinking, kotahitanga (teamwork), and communication. The opportunity to network in a work environment was also valuable. If I had not expressed my interest in a role at Tū Ora, I do not think I’d be sharing this story. This is a dream job for me—a marketing role within a health organisation straight out of university. My advice would be, whatever your circumstances, put yourself out there. If you don’t ask or try you won’t know what opportunities are available.