Meet Alex Hamill, Business Development Placement Student

Alex (In the Middle) with Colleagues Anita And matthew at the Funding Fair

Alex is a Business Economics student who has chosen to take an optional placement year out from his studies to work with Supporting Communities. We asked him to write a bit about his experience so far!

“I’m currently a student at Queen’s University Belfast, studying Business Economics and this year, I’m doing a placement with Supporting Communities, where I’m working in business development. It’s been an exciting opportunity to apply what I’ve learned in my studies to a real-world setting, and I’m thrilled to be part of such an impactful organisation.

I’ll be graduating in 2026, and I’m hopeful that this placement year will provide me with invaluable experience and insight into the professional environment. I believe the skills I’m gaining during my time with Supporting Communities will stand me in good stead for my future career, giving me both practical knowledge and a deeper understanding of business development in the community sector.

I first became aware of Supporting Communities when I was awarded the Gallaher Trust Scholarship in 2022, which they facilitated. This introduction to the organisation sparked my interest in their mission and the work they do to empower communities, and I’m grateful for the chance to contribute this year.

My work so far has involved helping to develop a business plan to drive the organisation’s future growth. Additionally, I’ve been involved in improving certain parts of the website, ensuring it better serves members and wider audiences.

It’s been a great experience so far, and I’m excited to see how the rest of my placement unfolds. I’m incredibly grateful for the warm welcome from the team and the opportunity to learn from such a dedicated organisation.”

We are delighted to have Alex join us this year. We know he will bring fresh ideas and new thinking to our organisation as we plan for our longer-term business goals.

Colm McDaid, Supporting Communities’ Chief Executive, remarked, “The fact that Alex came to us through the Gallaher Trust Scholarship programme shows how investing in young people pays off for our communities, in this case even sooner than we thought! Alex is a welcome addition to the team, and I look forward to his input over the coming year.”