Diversity in Adland Boosted as Big Agencies Join Marketing Debuts

The Industry Club has announced the full list employers who’ll be taking on young people from diverse backgrounds in the Marketing Debuts apprenticeship scheme. The apprenticeship scheme is placing 14 students in roles from diverse and low social mobility backgrounds only.

Those signed up to new apprentices in the Creative Project Management and Social Media and Community Management programmes are: adam&eveDDB, Red Brick Road, Lucky Generals, UNLIMITED, 33 Seconds, Big Brand Ideas, Elvis, Generation Success, Havas Lynx, Leagas Delaney, Mando, Seven Six, Wilderness Agency, The Marketing Store, TRO (Omnicom) and Brandstand Communications.

They will be offering the new starters the chance to take their first steps in a career in advertising and marketing.

The new recruits will begin on 11th January 2021 with a two-week bootcamp hosted by Marketing Debuts and government regulated apprenticeship provider, The Opportunity Group. Here, they’ll get to know each other and their new employers and take part in a series of exercises and presentations focusing on team working, resilience, self-belief, virtual working, self-management and more. Following the bootcamp, the apprentices will join their new employers to start training in their chosen apprenticeship programme.

Speaking of her company’s involvement, Tilly Morgan, operations and people director at Wilderness Agency, who is taking on a Social Media and Community Management apprentice, said: “Marketing Debuts is a step in the right direction towards recognising that the creative industries will be stronger when they value the contributions of all individuals in society.”

Stuart Heyburn, head of project management at adam&eveDDB, agrees. He said: “We are partnering with The Industry Club’s Marketing Debuts scheme to help find bright young talent for apprentice positions within project management… It’s this talent who will be helping to lead and shape creative ideas in the future.”

“In a year when working life has been turned upside down it’s amazing to see these great agencies uphold their commitment to diversity and inclusion." added Melissa Smith, founder and managing director of The Industry Club. "We’re delighted with the industry’s response to the inaugural Marketing Debuts scheme and can’t wait to follow the progress of what is a diverse, talented and enthusiastic first cohort.”

As well as bringing new people into the industry, several agencies are also moving a total of 18 existing employees into the Marketing Debuts scheme, bringing the total cohort to 32 apprentices.