HOW CAN LIVERPOOL’S NEXT GENERATION GET A JOB IN THE CITY’S CREATIVE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY?
A Liverpool-based social enterprise that exists to nurture, develop and propel homegrown talent into employment within the creative and digital industries is currently recruiting for its next programme.
Agent Academy CIC is a 12-week industry training programme that is tailored for young people who lack commercial skills or experience. It offers a remedy to the high youth unemployment experienced in the Liverpool City Region and since its founding in 2014, 37 new jobs have been created: boosting the local economy with over £675k of annual salaries.
Agent Academy are celebrating a 100% success rate with all ten of their latest graduates landing full-time jobs in the city’s creative and digital industries. Agent Academy now have past students working with some of the North’s most innovative companies such as Capital FM Liverpool, Uniform and Open Messenger – enabling them to fly the flag for the city’s next generation of creative talent.
We asked three of the most recent additions to their alumni how the unique way of learning has changed their lives…
Joe Keenan, account executive at Open Messenger:
“When I found out about Agent Academy I saw an opportunity to upskill and change my path. I didn’t have any prior marketing experience, so I took a massive leap of faith joining the programme and realised quickly that my background in the hospitality industry would help shape the start of my new career. I didn’t realise how transferable my skills would be, and that’s something I want to stress to people my age.
“I loved the learning environment at Agent Academy from day one, it was challenging and took me out of my comfort zone and I learnt loads of practical stuff as well as understanding how businesses work. I met Mike, my current employer, during an expert session at Agent Academy.
“My obvious enthusiasm for what the company did, alongside the fact that I had successfully completed Agent Academy, was what got me the job. I’m forever thankful for the programme and what it has allowed me to achieve.”
Isobel Hyde-Walker, client services at Uniform:
“I knew I wanted to work in a creative environment after my studies and I wanted to start my career in my hometown rather than moving to London but I wasn’t sure if the job I was looking for existed in Liverpool.
“Fortunately, I found Agent Academy. On the programme, I was given the time to talk about my interests and goals and then shown multiple jobs that would suit me. I discovered so many new career possibilities.
“I’m so appreciative of the guidance that was given to me by Agent Academy, I am one month into my new job now and I am enjoying working in an incredible role that I didn’t know existed before.”
Leigh Sheridan, communications executive at Can Cook Kitchen:
“My journey with Agent Academy increased my knowledge of the creative and digital industry more than any university course possibly could. Being exposed to leading digital businesses across the North West and having a real client project to work on gave me invaluable career experience.
“The learning was unique and broadened my horizons immensely. It gave me direction and helped me to navigate the creative and digital world. Agent Academy enabled me to get a job that I love in an industry I’d always wanted to be part of.”
The 12-week programme for young people aged 16-25 was set up to bridge the growing gap between education and employment, as well as reducing the need for unpaid internships, which many young people in Liverpool simply can’t afford to do.
Zoe Wallace, head of Agent Academy CIC, said:
“Agent Academy approaches learning in a way that emphasises the importance of practical skills. We’re proud to have a high success rate with people leaving us and heading into employment almost instantly.
“I would encourage ambitious, creative and talented young people who lack of commercial experience to apply. We are looking forward to helping many more people land their dream job in 2017.”
Agent Academy CIC, based in the Baltic Triangle, is currently recruiting for its fifth main programme. Applications close at 5pm on 28th February. You can apply here. It is also delivering industry training to schools and universities. Learn more about what Agent Academy CIC has achieved here. If you would like to contribute to the programme as a business, or a young person who wants to find out more, head to www.agentacademy.org.uk.