Diversity in adland gets massive boost as more agencies join Marketing Debuts

In recent weeks, we’ve welcomed more employers looking to take young people from diverse backgrounds into our Marketing Debuts apprenticeship scheme.
About to make offers to new apprentices in the Creative Project Management and Social Media and Community Management programmes are:
- 33 Seconds
- Adam&EveDDB
- Big Brand Ideas
- Elvis
- Generation Success
- Havas Lynx
- Leagas Delaney
- Mando
- Seven Six
- The Opportunity Group
- Wilderness Agency
Between them these businesses will be offering 14 enthusiastic new starters the chance to take their first steps in a career in advertising and marketing – opportunities that may well have otherwise eluded them.
Working life for the new recruits will begin on 11 January 2021 with a two-week bootcamp hosted by the 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. These will focus on themes like team working, resilience, self-belief, virtual working and self-management. Following the bootcamp, the apprentices will join up with their new employers to start their training in their chosen apprenticeship programme.
Speaking of her company’s involvement, Tilly Morgan, operations & 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.”
As well as bringing new people into the industry, several agencies are also moving a total of 18 existing employees into the scheme, bringing the total cohort to 32 apprentices.
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. 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.
If you’d like to find out more about Marketing Debuts please get in touch.