A jump-start for creative careers: J. Walter Thompson launches new global talent program
As innovative ideas increasingly come from outside traditional agency confines, J. Walter Thompson has today announced a new global talent development program called Jump/Start. The program is aimed at helping young creative thinkers from all backgrounds break into the advertising industry.
The program aims to collapse boundaries by attracting and retaining students and recent graduates who have diverse and multidisciplinary backgrounds. Jump/Start is inclusive of disciplines spanning theater, film, creative writing, technology, product design, innovation and more.
For more information or to apply, please visit jumpstart.jwt.com.
Says Matt Eastwood (left), worldwide chief creative officer, J. Walter Thompson: “Across the board, one of the biggest trends we’re seeing in our industry is the convergence of traditional categories. With Jump/Start, we’ve designed a program that supports creative talent from beyond these traditional confines. Growing a diverse talent pool is essential to our ability to deliver better and more innovative ideas to our clients.”
Jump/Start is designed to bridge the gap between classroom education and hands-on application. Participants will have the opportunity to work in an active agency setting, while collaborating with teams of experienced and award-winning professionals. They will also have the chance to work on live briefs and enhance their portfolios with real client work. Participating students will receive a monthly stipend for the duration of the three-month internship.
The program will kick off in Beirut, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, New York, São Paulo and Sydney. Students, recent graduates and young professionals will be eligible to apply.
Says Eastwood: “I owe great thanks to the many people and agencies that helped me throughout my career, and especially as a young university graduate. That’s the sort of support we want to replicate for the next generation of great creative minds.”
The program will be led by Britt Hayes, worldwide head of creative talent, and by the respective chief creative officers in the participating offices.
Applications will be accepted for 3-month rotations, and regional Jump/Start programs began accepting their first groups of participants in September 2015.
1 Comment
Secret to attracting good talent is not f&^^ing rocket science.
Make your industry (not just your agency) visible to the rest of the word…make it look like great things are happening here.
We wake up once a year at Cannes…..who outside the industry sees what we do….NO ONE.
Why would youngsters believe advertising is a great industry to work in?
They can see how great Facebook, google and uber are because those guys don’t scam their way through work.