Luke Belmar-Jones

Luke grew up in Merseyside, England before moving to Cambridge to study at the University. He had a temporary role at Reach Cambridge during the summers of his university years before adopting a full-time position in marketing.

What is your favorite travel memory?

When I traveled to Switzerland for work, I went to a school fair in Zurich. There, by chance, I bumped into two students who had attended our programmes before - it was amazing to see how much they had grown in confidence over the summer, and great to catch up. They were in a place where they were now thinking about applying to university, and it was lovely to see them begin to plan their futures with confidence.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

My ability to think analytically and prioritise has grown immensely since I started in my role. I have been trusted with responsibility for high-priority tasks, and as a result, my confidence, time management, and people skills have seen a vast improvement.

I have also grown personally, as I learn to see things from a different perspective each time we hold a programme, thanks to the international diversity of our students.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

We had one student, who studied Business Management & Economics at Reach, who then informed us of her decision to study Economics at University, and said it was the projects and fun tasks during our programmes that made her fall in love with the subject.

She also mentioned that she frequently met up with another student she met in the programme years prior, and they remained best friends despite living thousands of miles apart.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would probably choose the Liberal Arts summer course since it offers such a diverse range of topics, some of which I've never really delved into before. To get such a solid foundation of various humanities subjects, taught by experts in their respective fields, would be a massive thrill from an arts-nerd like me!

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

I would say it's the welcoming atmosphere that truly makes Reach special. Whether you're a staff member of 10+ years, a temporary employee on your first day, or a passionate student nervous about being away from your parents, Reach has a way of making everyone feel immediately at home.

I get especially proud of the team at the end of every spring/summer, when students who've known their peers and staff for only one, two or four weeks are overcome with emotion at having to say goodbye. It says a lot about the effort of every individual team member that we can create such a wonderful & lasting experience in such a short space of time.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I believe that taking responsibility and providing support for your fellow team members is what makes a successful company. Work ethic and skill-set are obviously important, but if you're not comfortable enough to ask for help or own up to mistakes, the trusting dynamic of the team suffers and productivity will suffer as a result.