Wavemaker UK Heads Back to School as First Exclusive Partner of Global Academy’s Media Business Course

Wavemaker UK has partnered with Global Academy, a unique school and Sixth Form that prepares young people for a career in the broadcast and media industry, to serve as the exclusive partner of its 'Media Business' course. It is the first agency to sponsor this course at the school, and it is also one of the first agencies within GroupM to partner with an institution of this kind.

Wavemaker will co-lead the course, which at its core includes learning about everything from industry trends to business planning, and event management. The 25 enrolled students will also have the opportunity to attend Wavemaker's London office every Wednesday to hear from its agency specialists on the must-know "Media Essentials". The course consists of 13 introductions to key media channels and principles. 

As well as this, each bespoke day of learning will feature an 'Inspiration Session' hosted by one of Wavemaker's media partners -  the likes of Channel 4, News UK, Amazon, and Europe’s largest radio and outdoor group, and the academy's founder and sponsor, Global. Experts from each organisation will run students through some of their most innovative work with the aim of providing the 16-18-year-old cohort with technical skills, know-how and an accessible route into the advertising industry. The Media Essentials element of the Media Business course will run from 13th September to 11th January 2023, with the partnership extending beyond that in other areas.

The partnership follows several Wavemaker UK announcements that centre around young talent and building a more inclusive and representative cohort of candidates. Last month, the agency appointed Dani Saadu as Head of People and Culture, with the role of strengthening its commitment to inclusivity. Moreover, in May, Wavemaker launched ‘Thrive’, its recruitment initiative for school leavers, graduates or career changers aged 18+. 

Importantly, Thrive and Global Academy focus on tackling the skills shortage and lack of diversity in the media industry. This was a decisive factor in Wavemaker's sponsorship. The academy focuses on schools and areas with a low socio-economic make-up as part of its outreach to source talent - participating in assemblies and careers fairs to spread the word. In addition, the school, running since 2016, is funded by the Department for Education and, therefore, is free to attend. The main prerequisite is a strong interest in the Broadcast and Digital Media Industry.

By sponsoring Global Academy and through Thrive, Wavemaker aims to support a wide age range of talent. Additionally, academy graduates will be able to apply for Thrive, which is a natural progression from the Media Business course. As part of Wavemaker's programme, it will also teach CV-building skills and interview preparation to ensure alumni are fully prepared for life after secondary education in any path or workplace they choose.

Dani Saadu, Head of People and Culture at Wavemaker UK, said: “The media industry is notoriously difficult to break into. We also suffer from a diversity gap, where huge socio-economic disparities make brands and agencies impenetrable to excellent people simply disadvantaged by a lack of industry know-how. We must work harder to attract and retain tomorrow's brightest strategists, creatives, and business leaders. I’m proud that our agency is taking steps to change the status quo for talent as young as 16. It’s places like the Global Academy and schemes like Thrive that make career aspirations possible for many young people that wouldn’t have had the option otherwise.”

Jonathan Jacob, director of specialism at Global Academy, added: “We are so excited to be partnering with Wavemaker as the exclusive partner of our Media Business Course. It has been incredible to see the passion, commitment and expertise that the team have brought to the process, which has resulted in the richest partnership we have ever done. The students taking this course are exceptionally lucky and will no doubt be propelled forward into the world of media.” 

Global Academy is currently accepting applications for September 2024 entry to its courses in content production, journalism, business, design, esports, digital development and broadcast engineering. Interested applicants can apply via admissions@globalacademy.com or the Global Academy website.