Promising 500 new apprenticeships during the course of next year, Creative Pioneers 2, a nationwide apprenticeship programme for creative industries, has given motivation and hope to the next generation of talented advertising, creative and digital media professionals.

In order to support and celebrate last week’s UK-wide National Apprenticeship Week, Creative Pioneers 2 has already created 80 brand new jobs, while an average of 50 should be offered every month. Moreover, Creative Pioneers 2 representatives aim for 5% of all industry employees to be apprentices throughout the next three years, while the ultimate goal has been set to 1,500 apprenticeship jobs each year.

Apprenticeships combine work and studies by mixing on-the-job training with classroom learning and offer the chance of a nationally-recognised qualification at the end of the programme. The creative sector, in particular, can considerably help talented apprentices develop their abilities and evolve as professionals within an industry that is known for its competitiveness.

The Creative Pioneers 2 programme is run by the Institute of Advertising Practitioners and facilitated by Arch Apprentices, a training provider that helps businesses, governments and charities with the improvement of the staff’s skills and productivity. The programme is known for its diversity, with 49% of those now active within the organisation coming from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds and a near even split in gender.

New research among senior business professionals in the advertising and PR industry showed that the average age of a board member is just 37, with senior managers typically as young as 31. The opportunities offered at such young ages are no doubt the reason apprenticeships have gained popularity in the recent years.

It is noticeable that the best apprenticeships in the UK are offered by large corporate organisations such as Anchor, BAE SYSTEMS, Virgin media and J.P Morgan, with the last coming tenth in Fortune Magazine’s ‘Most Admired Companies’. This shows that apprenticeships can be mutually beneficial, offering working experience and skills to the apprentice and talented, dedicated young professionals to the companies.

The accomplishment of the programme is apparent from its figures, having a striking 98% of all apprentices have successful employment end points following the programme.

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