Dream of working in advertising? Well it might be even more accessible as a career than you’d originally thought.
We spoke to Olivia Packshaw, an Account Director there, who told us that VCCP are launching a new year-long entry program for recruits interested in Account Management and Planning. And you don’t need a degree!
Olivia explained: “With this new scheme there’s no need for a degree, all we want is someone over 18, who has A-C GCSE grades in Maths and English.” She explained: “We’ve relaxed the entry requirements because we are a creative agency and are always making sure we have the most creative output. That doesn’t come from a sea of sameness, it comes from variety and curiosity.”
Sounds good to us! We asked Olivia a bit more about her role below, and why you should apply for a spot on VCCP’s new scheme, known as The Table.
Hi Olivia! How did you get into your role?
“I went to Edinburgh and studied psychology, when I was in my last year of Uni I thought ‘oh god what am going to do?’ I didn’t want to work in a traditional office environment, I wanted to explore branding, so I then applied to advertising agencies with some entry level positions and got accepted by VCCP. I started in September 2012 and have been here ever since. Often in advertising you move regularly but I’ve stayed, which is a testament to VCCP and how they have looked after me and encouraged my career progression.”
So The Table is launching, which will make your office more inclusive. But why is it important to have a diverse range of people coming into advertising?
“So as well as making a diverse creative output with a diverse group of people, we are talking to a broad consumer range and advertising a larger range of products, from chocolate to car insurance to soap. We need to make sure we are hiring lots of different types of people to make lots of different types of advertising that talks to lots of different types of people. I wanted to help make that change so I fully support this entry level scheme. The Table is something I’m proud of!”
It’s such a good idea! Graduate jobs aren’t for everyone after all…
“Yes! Traditionally, organisations would offer graduates entry level positions. But we are on the search for a more diverse workforce to bring new insights and approaches to our work, which is why we’ve opened up our scheme to anyone over the age of 18 who has a passion for advertising, regardless of having gone to university.”
What’s the best thing about working at VCCP?
“It’s a really fun place to work; you don’t have two versions of yourself for home and work – you can bring your personality to work. VCCP encourage you to develop your authentic self in advertising and that’s been great for me. VCCP have a different outlook; they talk about being the challenger agency, they want to challenge brands. We believe in doing things differently, and challenging that status quo.”