An apprenticeship is a paid job within an agency where you gain experiences and skills. Alongside on-the-job training, you’ll spend at least six hours of your working week completing online or classroom-based learning with a college, university or training provider.
Please note that these apprenticeships are available only at companies with an English office but anyone from the UK can take up a place.
An apprenticeship with one of our agencies includes:
There are an array of industry apprenticeships you can follow depending on your particular interest. Each (known as Standards) are designed and delivered by industry specialists and partners. To learn more about the successful career of an apprentice in our industry, read Liv’s Advertising and Media Exec journey at Hunterlodge.
Here are some regularly used at entry level:
Advertising and Media Executive usually progress to roles as either Account Executives or Media Planners.
This is a Level Three Apprenticeship, up to 18 months, maximum funding band £11,000.
People in the ad industry create messages called campaigns to inform or influence the people who receive them. Advertising and Media Agencies exist in every part of the UK and range in size from two people to thousands, however, the majority are small to medium-sized businesses.
The broad purpose of the occupation is helping the day-to-day progress of the advertising process, from receiving the brief to setting budget and timescales plus measuring how effective the advertisement has been.
It is important they can work well with others (colleagues, clients, suppliers, other agencies) and maintain relationships otherwise campaigns will not move forward and there is lots of coping with setbacks and changes in direction. Usually, they report to an Account or Media Manager.
They usually specialise in one of two parts of the advertising process: the first is the process of producing the advertisement. The second is the process of distributing the advertisement through media. Apprentices must therefore complete the core apprenticeship and one of the two options advertising or media. It is important that whatever part they specialise in they have an understanding of the other option as decisions taken in the creative part of the process have consequences for the distribution to media part, and vice versa.
An Advertising and Media Executive Creative Specialist will be responsible for: working with creative producers to assist them in their decision-making. They monitor the progress of the creative producers and evaluate their output, keeping the team updated for example via status reports. They are aware of how the creative work helps the client’s marketing objectives. They also keep abreast of the latest trends within the industry, for example AI, sustainability and diversity providing examples of best practice to the client and team.
An Advertising and Media Executive Media Specialist is responsible for understanding all media channels, their trends and performance (everything from interactive posters at bus shelters to a web banner to trolley media in the supermarket.) Plus getting the best out of automated platforms and programmatic buying to evaluate and bid for, in real time, thousands of optional spots for example on Facebook or TV. They understand clients’ marketing objectives and assist in planning campaigns by providing the team with up-to-date media metrics so that the advertisement is the best price at right time and place to reach the chosen target. They help build and maintain long term relationships with media owners and use this to help negotiate rates.
Junior Advertising Creative usually progress to junior creatives.
This is a Level Three Apprenticeship, up to 18 months, maximum funding band £11,000.
In the increasingly competitive global markets, it is the brands with creative, original, engaging advertising that really stand out from the crowd. Advertising helps turn products into brands by establishing a relationship between the consumer and the brand, thus securing long term, loyal customers.
The job is to come up with creative ideas which help bring forward fresh thinking and transform businesses and behaviour. This is achieved by creating standout advertising. They start with a blank piece of paper and come up with a big idea that can be executed across multiple media touchpoints – radio, digital, cinema, tv, floor media, in podcasts...
Junior Advertising Creatives work on campaigns that provide people with information most effective to the target audience to help them make better informed decisions. A campaign is a series of adverts running in a short period in different mediums but with the same idea. They create adverts to encourage people to buy products, change their behaviour (for example to wear seatbelts or stop smoking), give to charitable causes or even effect social change (for example, reducing single use plastic). They aim to delight, move and solidify the consumer’s understanding of that product or brand, service, issue or cause. They dramatise the product or service's benefit.
They report into and are supported by more Senior Advertising Creatives. They work alongside the broader advertising team in conceiving and developing ideas. The Junior Advertising Creative originates the idea, and may work with Advertising Executives who act as the link between them and the client.
Once an idea is formed, they work with the people who bring the idea to life. Typically, this includes film directors, photographers, artists, illustrators, musicians, actors and designers. They might occasionally be asked to present their ideas to the client, but this varies from company to company. To present the work they may use AI tools to bring the idea to life. Junior Advertising Creatives are not exclusively office based. As part of delivering a campaign, they may visit locations such as recording studios, film sets, sound stages, colour grading studios and even overseas locations, so they need to work flexibly, particularly if on a TV commercial shoot or helping towards a big presentation.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for originating surprising, brilliant, exciting, ingenious concepts and ideas. This can be a matter of opinion, so they need the tenacity and resilience to bounce back from setbacks, constructive feedback and also embrace criticism of their ideas. They are conscious of deadlines, budget restrictions and brief requirements. (There are two types of brief - the marketing business brief and a focused creative brief used to inform creatives of the task.) They usually have a number of creative projects running at the same time but at different stages and are responsible for making sure they all meet their deadlines. This is an occupation where you can be yourself, introvert or extrovert, because it is the ideas which matter.
This is a Level Three Apprenticeship, up to 12 months, maximum funding band of £10,000.
A Content Creator is responsible for developing and creating content that can be used across a variety of media including digital, social media, broadcast or in print.
Working to the customer/client brief, they research, prepare and develop the media messaging to maximise audience engagement, capturing the strategy and objectives of the brand and needs of the customer they are representing.
The content they create can be used as part of media, advertising and marketing campaigns. They have to capture what is exciting about a campaign and design the elements that can be used across media platforms and channels. Content Creator collaborate with designers and developers, using authoring languages to create content for the World Wide Web, which may include video, images, text (or “copy”) and web pages and social media content, so an enthusiasm for technology and creating great online experiences is a must. They can work in advertising, marketing or digital agencies, or in interactive roles for broadcasters. Content Creator may progress into Content Creation/Development roles at more senior levels across the industry, including with digital agencies, broadcasters and publishers.
On this apprenticeship they will learn about creating engaging and impactful social media content, optimisation of online, cross platform idea generation, ways of creating multiple opportunities to engage with audiences on different platforms from a single interview/story/ event. Also Video and audio/podcast skills and knowledge plus post campaign analysis.
Multi-Channel Marketer is a Level 3 Apprenticeship, up to 18 months, maximum funding band of £11,000. It replaces Digital Marketer.
Multi-channel marketers will sit within a specific company/agency that provides marketing deliverables and advice to external clients, or within an internal marketing team, delivering marketing activities to drive that business. The role will be primarily office-based or remote working. They may spend time away from the work area attending exhibitions and events, meetings with external marketing suppliers, marketing research suppliers, visiting clients, trade shows, or supporting research activities.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to support customer focussed marketing activities that drive the demand for a product or service through awareness raising and/or perception building to generate results to the bottom line. The emerging green economy is creating increasing opportunities for new and complex services and products. This may require marketing activities to be focussed on raising awareness of the benefits of carrying out transactions or purchases or products within an environmentally sustainable model.
As part of the Marketing team, the multi-channel marketers will contribute to the implementation of the Marketing strategy and plans. They will be responsible for delivering day-to-day marketing activities across a multitude of platforms, channels and systems that are essential to the Marketing function and activities of the company.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a wide range of internal stakeholders such as members of their own team, other departments such as sales, operations, public relations, IT, HR, customer services, senior management and finance.
They also interact with external stakeholders such as clients/customers and suppliers such as printers, digital agencies, PR and media agencies, event display companies, market research agencies, and media sales professionals.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for coordinating and delivering specific marketing activities such as marketing content creation, background market and customer research, monitoring campaign analytic and collecting data, using relevant marketing software/systems, maintaining marketing administration activities such as managing the supply of marketing literature, tracking marketing expenditure, supporting the procurement of, and overseeing the delivery of work by external and internal marketing suppliers.
Multi-channel marketers will define, design, build and implement campaigns across a variety of platforms to drive customer engagement and retention. In addition, they will be responsible for parts of the campaign within their area of responsibility. As part of the Marketing team, they will contribute to the implementation of the Marketing strategy and plans and will have responsibility for elements of the overall marketing plan.
They will be the first point of contact for day-to-day activities in the marketing team and will be responsible for allocating higher levels of work to the management team. This role will work on their own and in a range of team settings. They work within agreed budgets and available resources. Multi-channel marketers work without high levels of supervision, usually reporting to senior stakeholders. They may occasionally be responsible for decision making on smaller areas of campaigns, but more often will support or influence the decisions of others.
Data Technician (now that there is a Level Three standard in this we expect it to supplant the Level Four Data Analyst as an entry level route).
This is a Level Three Standard, up to 24 months, maximum funding £12,000.
This occupation is found in all sectors where data is generated or processed. The broad purpose of the occupation is to source, format and present data securely in a relevant way for analysis using basic methods; to communicate outcomes appropriate to the audience; analyse structured and unstructured data to support business outcomes; blend data from multiple sources as directed and apply legal and ethical principles when manipulating data.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a wide range of stakeholders including colleagues, managers, customers and internal and external suppliers. They would typically work as a member of a team; this may be office based or virtual. An employee in this occupation will be responsible for collecting and processing data under the guidance of a senior colleague or multiple colleagues across the business. This may vary by sector and size of the organisation. An employee would mainly be responsible for their own work but may have the opportunity to mentor others.
Associate Project Manager - they work in all sectors. The working environment can vary.
They contribute to the successful delivery of a project, ensuring its scope and benefits are achieved as planned. They do this primarily by identifying, resourcing, scheduling, and monitoring the activities that need to happen in a certain sequence and timescale. They monitor the project objectives and milestones and adjust plans in accordance with evolving circumstances. They contribute to overall project aims in line with customer requirements. They will understand how their role supports the wider organisation and project structure.
APMs are key to enabling organisations meet their business goals by successful project delivery, whether large or small, new or an efficiency.
They interact with a range of internal stakeholders, including members of their own team and other departments such as IT, legal, finance, strategy, HR, media operations, commercial, client service, marketing, sustainability, senior management, and governing decision-making bodies. They also interact with a range of external stakeholders such as clients, suppliers, media owners, regulators; reporting to a Project Manager.
They will be responsible for identifying, defining, and delivering some or all the aspects of a project's lifecycle within the limits set by the project manager, but will sometimes have to act on their own or guide others in their decision making.
They may contribute to the drafting of business cases that justify why a project is required. They will collaborate with stakeholders to negotiate and allocate project activities to members of the integrated project team.
The APM will be monitoring progress using relevant project tools and techniques and is also responsible for quality assuring work to completion. They will report on progress and adapt plans as needed.
They will apply codes of practice, legislation, and regulation in respect of the organisation’s areas of operation. This will apply not only to legal and ethical responsibilities but will include the central placement of inclusion and sustainability. APMs manage conflicting project and current political objectives such as net carbon zero, and risk management to influence successful outcomes.
They must also escalate project issues beyond the scope of their role or when they identify significant project risks and issues. They analyse and incorporate lessons learned into future project management and to keep their project skills up to date.
Careermap are a great resource for parents and students trying to work out what to do post-school. This explains the application process for and apprenticeship at a typical employer. Here they aim to bust some myths about apprenticeships including that they are poorly paid and only for those who did not do well in exams.