Too often, people find themselves with multiple barriers to entry into the creative industries. Internships being offered unpaid, a homogenous outlook on recruitment or a London-centric mindset are just several that can hold people, specifically the youngest talent, back.

A new initiative has been launched by Publicis to try to tackle these barriers and welcome underrepresented talent into the advertising industry. The Open Apprenticeship (OA) is designed to help tens of thousands of young people aged primarily from 18 to 21 from ethnic minority or low income backgrounds to find jobs in the advertising industry.

The launch coincides with new ONS data which showed this week that 726,000 fewer people are currently on the payroll than before the start of the pandemic, 425,000 of whom are younger than 25. Additionally, a recent IES study, among others, shows the disproportionate impact of COVID on those from ethnic minorities and low socio-economic backgrounds.

OA is an open source, interactive platform, currently in beta, set to reach 10,000 people in its first year. It offers an eight module entry point for people who are keen to learn about the fundamentals of the industry, from understanding the roles on offer and career opportunities available.

The scheme will reach talent through partnerships with career advisers, schools, colleges and community groups. Launch partners include Future TalentEd, Brixton Finishing School, Apprentice Nation, MultiVerse, Pathways CTM and the School of Marketing.

Annette King, CEO, Publicis Groupe UK, explained: “We work in a white middle-class industry and that has to change for the good of society, and because it’ll make this industry stronger. As we emerge from the pandemic, we have a responsibility to build back better. We owe it to ourselves and to society at large.”

David Lammy, Labour MP for Tottenham, Shadow Lord Chancellor and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, added: “By empowering more young people from marginalised sections of society to acquire a seat on the table, the Open Apprenticeship is a beacon of innovative inclusion.”

A myriad of data points have pointed to pressures on the job prospects for young people, particularly those from ethnic minority and low income backgrounds while the homogenous nature of the creative industries is well documented. Initiatives such as this demonstrate the power of collective action, of opening up the industry and developing tools that in turn create opportunities for the next generation.