The Creative Circle Foundation launches free advertising school to tackle industry’s diversity issue

The Creative Circle, the oldest advertising awards body in the UK, has launched a charitable foundation offering a free full-time school. Aiming to address the lack of diversity in the advertising industry, the school will train 20 students a year ready for a career in creative departments. According to statistics published by the Creative Circle, Britain’s creative agencies currently only have 9.9% BAME employees.

No academic qualifications are required, just “an ability to demonstrate they can answer creative problems with creative solutions”, The course will relieve students of “the pressure of affording expensive advertising courses” and plans to also financially assist a number of students from outside London to live in the city while studying.

The foundation will be funded by Creative Circle membership fees, award entries and profits from this year’s awards ceremony. It is also inviting sponsorship from members of the industry.

“For years now, everybody in advertising has been talking about the need to address our ongoing diversity issues, but there have been very few, if any, attempts to actively do something about it,” says Jeremy Green, CEO of The Creative Circle. “It’s time for Britain’s advertising community to put their money where their mouth is and support the emerging youngsters from around the country who need our help.”

The foundation will begin in September 2017.