With the summer holidays in full swing, Year 12 and 13 students are no doubt thinking about what’s next. But with higher education applications declining, apprenticeships on the rise, and AI muddying the waters of entry-level jobs, it’s a confusing time for this age group.
While the marketing industry is full of opportunity for young people, understanding where they might fit in proves a tricky challenge. Many aren’t shown how their passions translate into a role. And most aren’t given practical steps for securing that role either. Then there’s the lack of socioeconomic diversity in the industry, which puts those from working-class backgrounds at a significant disadvantage.
At Publicis Pro, we’re on a mission to tackle these issues through Turning Pro , our collaboration with The Talent Foundry. The Talent Foundry is a charity that supports socioeconomically disadvantaged students, helping them to discover their amazing talents, think big about their future, and grow their skills and confidence. We kickstarted Turning Pro with our team members visiting schools across London to bring them a taste of what working in an agency is really like. Students created and pitched mock campaigns to their peers, with the winning group from each school being invited to our office for a hands-on experience of agency life.
Fast forward to the beginning of July and after six school visits, the first set of winners walked through our doors. The day began with an overview of our agency and network from CEO Jon Lonsdale, giving students a better understanding of how the industry works, where our roles sit, and what our day-to-days look like.
When I explained that we actually get paid for coming up with ideas and being creative, I could see the students’ eyes widen and the lights go on that a career in marketing could be something pretty cool. – Jon Lonsdale, CEO
The students then teamed up to work on a second mini-pitch exercise, where they got to flex the marketing muscles they’d found in the first session. We followed up with a Q&A, opening the floor up for different Pub Pro team members to share their job experiences, education backgrounds, and advice on where to start.
Our aim for the day was to show that no career, including in the marketing world, follows one set path and that not being completely sure on what to do next is a normal part of moving into adulthood. This was especially important in the context of our industry, where just 22% of people identify as working-class compared to 39% nationally. Turning Pro gives us an opportunity to open our doors to more people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives, ultimately better reflecting the world we live in.
It impressed me how each student was so ambitious in thinking about their future career, and what the next steps were to get there. Coming to Turning Pro gave them that space to understand and visualise how their future could actually come to life. – George Richardson, Project Manager
To close, Publicis Talent Acquisition Partner Paolo Wilken gave the students an overview of the different entry-level schemes that the Groupe offers. This section was fundamental to the success of Turning Pro. We wanted the students to walk away with the confidence that they can have a career in marketing, as well as the knowledge of how to get there.
Opportunities like this, where they can hear a range of perspectives and learn from real career journeys, are incredibly valuable. It’s the kind of insight I would have appreciated at their age, and I hope it helped them feel even more confident about their next steps. – Wendy Owen, Senior Account Director
Now, as the students enjoy their summer holidays, we hope Turning Pro has given them some food for thought on what their next step may be. We can’t make any of the big, adult decisions for them – but if we can give them a clearer understanding of what some of their options are, then that’s a start.
And as we enjoy our summer too, we’re also looking forward to September where we’ll be visiting more schools to continue the momentum of Turning Pro and reach more students who are thinking about what’s next.
To find out more about what Turning Pro entails and how it came about, read our launch blog.
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