Marketing Debuts

We’re on a mission to increase diversity in the creative communications industries.
That’s why we launched Marketing Debuts. In the first half of 2021 we recruited over 25 Marketing Debuts – 90% of them from BAME backgrounds. Under our guidance they took their first steps into a career in marketing via apprenticeship programmes.
In our first year, one of those apprentices reached the final in the Media and Marketing category of the BAME Apprenticeship Awards and her employer won the SME Creative employer of the year in the same awards.
This year, we’re taking Marketing Debuts to the next stage by extending our services beyond apprenticeships.
We recruit for:
- Account Management
- Project Management
- Production
- Digital Marketers
- Social and Community Managers
- Data Executives
- Brand Marketers
Professional development options include:
- Marketing apprenticeships (Levy funded)
- The Industry School workshops and academies
- Diversity and inclusion initiatives
- Graduate schemes
Diversity and Inclusion
Marketing Debuts is now a gateway into a whole range of entry level opportunities across the marketing and creative communication industries. Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of Marketing Debuts. We’re recruiting young people, some without a degree and from groups largely underrepresented in agencies or marketing departments. We’ll select candidates based on creativity and motivation rather than academic achievement.
These could be recruits for your own programmes, an industry relevant apprenticeship programme or The Industry School’s various training packages including our Account and Project Management Academies.
Recruitment
Recruiting for Marketing Debuts is handled by a dedicated recruiter and mentor at The Industry Club. We recruit from a diverse talent pool and steer away from LinkedIn job boards and the traditional trade press. Instead, we reach out to schools, colleges, local councils and employability partners. And we think that motivation, drive and creativity are worth more than what’s in a candidate’s CV.
For example, we’ll ask applicants to talk to us about their favourite brand and discuss something that brand has done that particularly impressed them. We leave it open so their creative thinking and individual spin on things shine through. This helps us spot great talent regardless of whether a candidate has a degree or not.
Training
Professional development is a key consideration when hiring a Marketing Debut. We can recommend a wide range of entry level training programmes. We work with trusted apprenticeship providers as well as offering tailored training through The Industry School. We run over 40 workshops and offer significant discounts through our subscription packages.
The Industry School Academies
The Industry School Academy is a comprehensive package of eight modules that take place over 12 weeks. These modules introduce Marketing Debuts to marketing, agency processes and basic project and account management skills.
All attendees also receive one mentoring session per month with an industry mentor during the programme.
Marketing Debuts Academy
The Marketing Debuts Academy is a comprehensive introduction to marketing, project process and the essential skills for project and account management. Over 6 months, attendees will be trained by Industry experts on how to set up and manage your marketing projects, plus how to build and develop professional relationships to become a valuable part of your account or project management team.
All attendees also receive two mentoring sessions from an Industry buddy during the 6 months.
- Marketing projects 101
- Setting up your project for success
- How to effectively plan resources for your projects
- How to build the essential PMP
- How to build strong professional relationships
- Understanding agency finances and commercials
- How to close and evaluate your projects
Marketing Debuts Apprenticeships
Social Media and Community Management – Level 4
Taking the Government’s Community Management Level 4 programme and working with strategists and practitioners from leading social media agencies we have expanded the scheme to include social media training.
On this very popular programme we give the learners the skills, knowledge and confidence to build a career in Social Media, PR and Community Management in agencies or brand side.
Over 12 months, the apprentice will be trained by Industry experts on building brands, social media strategy, managing online channels and how to grow communities for a brand or business. Plus how to manage conflict, listen online, analyse data and much more. Everything to become a valuable part of your social media team.
Find out more about the Social Media & Community Management programme here.
Digital Marketer – Level 3
Taking the Government’s Digital Marketer Level 3 programme and working with strategists and practitioners from leading digital marketing brands and agencies we have developed a broad based scheme suitable for anyone looking to develop a career in digital marketing.
Over 12 months, the apprentice will be trained by Industry experts on marketing theory and practices, focusing on how to engage and retain audiences through the customer lifecycle.
Throughout the programme the Marketing Debuts will learn about time management, copywriting and branding, how to build a website plus digital campaign delivery methods including email and social.
The learners will gain skills in online advertising understanding pay per click, how to optimise search and how to analyse campaign performance through Google analytics.
Find out more about the Digital Marketer programme here.
Data Technician – Level 3
Taking the Government’s Data Technician Level 3 programme and working with data practitioners we have developed a scheme suitable for anyone looking to develop their knowledge and skills in data manipulation and data storytelling.
Over the 12 month’s the Marketing Debuts will learn about everything about data approaches, stakeholder management and GDPR principles.
They will be learning how to source, format and present data as well as how to influence and use it to tell a story.
They will also understand data bias and learn how to integrate and migrate data for business purposes.
Find out more about the Data Technician programme here.
Marketing Debuts News and Events
National Apprenticeship Week 2021
In celebration of this years National Apprenticeship Week we shared what some of our apprentices got up to at the start of their programme.
In this video created by Ayesha, a Social Media Apprentice at Wilderness, we find out more about what being a Marketing Debut involves. Ayesha shares some of things she’s been up to and how she manages studying alongside her role at Wilderness agency.
We also joined Scott from Big Brand Ideas for a day in the life of a Project Manager and featured more of apprentices journeys in The Guardian & Campaign!
Marketing Debuts success as apprentice and client are nominated for BAME Apprenticeship Awards 2021
In January 2021, we partnered with The Opportunity Group and launched Marketing Debuts, an apprenticeship programme specifically for the marketing industries. The inaugural programme kicked off in January 2021 with a goal to recruit a more diverse group of learners into agencies and brands.
So, we’re delighted to have been nominated in two categories of the BAME Apprenticeship Awards, who recognise British BAME Apprentices, their employers and learning providers.
Congratulations to our client Wilderness Agency and one of our amazing apprentices, Ayesha Fatima for their nominations.
Marketing Debuts welcomes June 2021 apprentices
Jasmine Braganza, our new Marketing and Training Coordinator shares an insight into her experience on the Marketing Debuts bootcamp
Cohort 2 begins and welcomes a variety of apprentices from different companies. Here, Jasmine gives a brief breakdown of what the apprentices got up to in their week of bootcamp.
Read more about what’s involved from an apprentice’s point of view.
Get in touch
For all future cohorts, get in touch and we’ll send you further information and set up a Zoom call to discuss how you can participate and benefit from Marketing Debuts.
Once you’ve committed to hiring one or more learners through Marketing Debuts, we’ll invite you to a networking event where you’ll meet the candidates we’ve selected and accepted into the scheme.
Once paired with a Marketing Debut, we’d look for you to make them an offer of employment a month before the next cohort starts.