Applications Open for Drummond Central’s Paid Creative Work Experience Program

Drummond Central’s paid creative advertising program, ‘School of DC’, is back for another year, with applications opening last week.

Since 2018, the Newcastle-based creative agency has run the two-week, paid crash course for anyone wanting to get an authentic taste of the industry.

Several years ago, Drummond Central decided to do away with traditional work experience, where they felt people were not getting the proper time or attention amongst the busy day-to-day life of an agency. Instead, they launched the School of DC.

A small class of applicants are selected to form a ‘mini agency’, who spend two weeks at the agency working on a real brief for a real client, whilst attending workshops across the Creative, Account Handling and Planning departments.  

People of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to apply – no experience or degree is required.

Dan Appleby, Drummond Central’s managing director, said, “School of DC is one of my favourite things we do here. Too often ‘work experience’ involves sitting in a corner and doing the tea rounds, but that's not us. We immerse our class in the day-to-day of our agency life, giving them a real brief and deadline, with a scary client presentation at the end of it. And because we work them so hard, we think it’s only right that we pay them the real living wage. I can’t wait to meet this year’s class and to see what they’re capable of and what they produce.”

Last year, Drummond Central made a hire from the program, introducing the new role of marketing executive to the award-winning agency.

School of DC graduate and Drummond Central’s marketing executive, Emilia Holton, shared, “Last summer I was freshly graduated, looking to enter the industry, but I had no idea where to start and absolutely zero experience. My time at Drummond Central showed me what areas of an agency my skill set best fit into and gave me the chance to ask the questions I couldn’t at university.”

School of DC is taking place from the 8th of July to the 19th of July 2024, in Newcastle. To find out more and to apply, visit here.