The&Partnership and its media agency mSix&Partners have opened an apprenticeship scheme in Birmingham called The&Academy.
Developed in partnership with apprenticeship provider Multiverse, the training programme has worked with brands such as Google, Meta and TikTok to help 18- to 24-year-olds take their first step onto the industry ladder.
One of the aims of the scheme is to attract more talent from underrepresented groups who might not consider a career in advertising, media and marketing by “nurturing talent outside of London”.
“There is an abundance of talent to be found across the country, yet opportunities have not always been evenly spread out,” Jess Burley, executive chair at mSix&Partners, explained. “The opening of The & Academy is a milestone event in the West Midlands.
“It will play a key role in providing the skills, experience and confidence that talent need to succeed in the dynamic world of media and advertising.”
Burley added: “The programme is also a major step forward in addressing the demand for greater diversity and inclusion within the media and advertising industries.”
To mark the launch of the scheme, an event took place on 28 September at The & Academy’s purpose-built campus in Digbeth, Birmingham.
The apprentices were joined by some of The&Partnership’s senior leaders, including chief executive Sarah Golding and chairman and founder Johnny Hornby, as well as Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands.
Street spoke at the event about how beneficial these programmes can be for shaping the next generation of creative talent and forging opportunities in areas outside the capital.
Street said: “A key part of my mayoral mission is to equip local residents with the skills to succeed in the 21st-century economy and connect them to high-quality job opportunities – helping them to thrive in the world of work, enjoy an excellent quality of life and have compelling reasons to stay in our wonderful region.
“The&Academy helps to deliver on that very mission and that's why I'm glad to hear also that this particular programme helps those aspiring to enter the creative and media sector – an industry that is a real strong suit for us here in the West Midlands. I wish The&Academy all the best in the weeks, months and years ahead."
This article first appeared here: https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/-partnership-msix-partners-launch-apprenticeship-scheme/1801004