How a school competition launched my career (literally)
By Katie Ireland, Marketing Apprentice, Halo
I always thought space was all about maths, science, and calculations – and, most importantly, I thought it was hard.
In my final year of secondary school, I had no clue what career path I was going to take, and it seemed like everyone else around me knew. I didn’t feel like an academic person, and exams weren’t my cup of tea, so I felt like high grades were never within my reach.
I had (and still very much have) a huge love for all things space and aviation, but I just didn’t fit the mould for a career as a pilot, an engineer, or even in the space industry as I understood it.
However, in one science lesson, my teacher pitched a competition – Spaceport Cornwall’s Launch Crew 2022. One category caught my eye: Video Producer.
I’d dabbled in video before – making short films with friends, and YouTube videos that never got posted – but the chance to do it for a real-world, genuinely historic event was one I had to take.
Spending three weeks on a 30-second video probably sounds excessive. But I wanted to get it right – I wanted to win. From emailing the head of the competition about copyright concerns, to spending hours combing through footage of the first Moon landing, the video slowly came together.
Two weeks passed. I hadn’t heard anything, and the nerves were building, with questions running through my head. What if they hated it? What if it didn’t hit the mark? What if it hadn’t gone through properly? What if it couldn’t be used because of the footage?
A classmate of mine had entered too, and had already heard back – they hadn’t won, but were thanked for taking part. I still hadn’t heard anything. More weeks passed, until finally, an email landed from Spaceport Cornwall:
“Congratulations, you’re a finalist!”
We were told there’d be a finalist round, and I turned up as prepared as I could be – hands shaking with nerves, but ready for whatever the day had in store. The presentation started, and my nerves only grew.
Then came the moment I’d been waiting weeks for.
I’d won.
The rest of the event is a blur. All I remember is the adrenaline, being told I’d be part of something that huge, and the excitement I felt for everything I was about to experience.
From meeting astronaut Tim Peake, to Launch Crew members attending the Lightyear premiere, to making videos that were published on the UK Space Agency’s page – we were thrown into everything imaginable. I felt privileged to experience it, and from that moment, I knew what career path I wanted to take.
I was going to do a job just like this.
After the Launch in 2022, the crew disbanded. I started a college course in Media Production, unsure of where it would lead. When work experience came around, I took the chance and asked Spaceport if they’d have me back to learn more about marketing. They pointed me toward the wonderful team at Halo.
I made a video reflecting on my time with the Launch Crew, and how it had shaped what I wanted to do with my life. Halo loved it, and it was posted on Spaceport Cornwall’s LinkedIn page.
A few months later, Halo were looking for a marketing apprentice. It wasn’t directly related to video editing, but it was exactly what I wanted to do and learn. So, I applied – and was welcomed into the Halo Team in November 2025.
From being a 16-year-old with no idea where life was headed, to having a clear career ahead of me – I’m so thankful for everything both Halo and Spaceport Cornwall have given me. Without their guidance and the opportunities they gave me, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
My advice to anyone reading this: take every chance you can, and put everything into it if you truly want it. You never know where it will take you – so take the risk.
Halo is a communications and PR agency working with clients across space, defence, deep tech, biotech and sustainability. If you’d like to know what the AI engines are saying about your company right now, ask us. We’ll show you.