A student’s experience at Launchpad
One of the ways that Launchpad supports our community and the next generation of entrepreneurs is through our links with educational establishments, including the University of Essex.
Through these links we’ve provided temporary work placements for students keen to learn behind the scenes of what it takes to make a business.
Since October, Katie Looijestijn, has been spending time with the Launchpad team and our customers, taking part in business events, and even taking on her own project.
In this blog, Katie shares a little bit about her experience, which highlights the benefits for students and for business of working with education providers and supporting work placements.
Joining the Launchpad team as a temporary work placement student has been nothing but a delight.
During the final year of my degree in Creative Producing (Theatre and Short Film) under the institution, East 15 Acting School, we are given the opportunity to do a work placement to get a real grasp for the working world and boost our employability skills.
After being connected with Jacqui Stimpson through my head of course at university, I immediately knew Launchpad would be a fabulous place to complete my work placement. I wanted to become a bit more business savvy and push myself to network more, both of which I have found myself doing just within the first few weeks.
I started here on Thursday 9th October 2025, where I accompanied Jacqui at a networking event at the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend. She described this as ‘throwing me in at the deep end’. However, I believe it was the perfect start as it allowed me to work on those skills immediately, which was one of my forefront intentions for these ten weeks. I met some very insightful people that I perhaps wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for this opportunity.
After this, Jacqui gave me a tour of the Launchpad offices and introduced me to the team and all the business’s that work here.
Within a few weeks, my confidence in and around the building was amplified, as everyone at Launchpad is so welcoming and informative. I have learned so much, from business terminology to the process of how businesses function, upskill and expand…all transferable knowledge and experiences.
Witnessing the Catapult programme has been one of my favourite experiences so far, as you can really feel the sense of support for one another in the space.
One thing that I was surprised about was the lack of competition in the room. Each and every person on the programme offered advice or a solution to a problem that wasn’t theirs. This was so special to see, and exhibits how much of a nurturing environment Launchpad is for businesses and entrepreneurs.
More recently, I’ve been given the opportunity to bring my course skills into practice by supporting the production of case study videos.
Working on this project in a real business environment has helped me understand how storytelling works from a commercial perspective. I have found it rewarding to collaborate with founders and help shape narratives that reflect their journeys. I’m excited to see the final edits come together and to know I’ve contributed something meaningful to the wider Launchpad community.
For the team at Launchpad, it’s always a pleasure to host a work placement. We have also supported many of our customers to open their world to these kinds of opportunities with great success – the learning goes both ways!
If you want to be part of a business community that can help you support and tap into the brilliance of the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders, get in touch to find out more about Launchpad.
