We’re committed to diversifying the creative sector, a mission that involves opening more doors for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. A pivotal part of this commitment is our year-long partnership with Creative Access, a social enterprise aimed at making sure the creative industry is as diverse as the society it serves – offering opportunities, support and training.
This collaboration has already seen promising talent like Hannah and Maria from Creative Access triumph over 100+ other applicants to join our London team for year-long internships, working across various communication disciplines.
Six months in, we caught up with Hannah and Maria to share their campaign successes and top tips for anyone looking to start off in PR:
What’s been the highlight of your first six months working in communications?
Maria: A month with the Creator Hub team allowed me to really understand what it takes to work with influencers and fashion clients.
Hannah: I set a three-month goal to be securing top-tier coverage, but it was a real personal triumph to have landed stories for CEF and WEX after just one month.
What’s your top tip for anyone starting their communications career?
Maria: Understand the importance of people, whether that’s your team at work, your client, or the people that your client wants to reach.
Hannah: The PR industry is vast, and there’s always something new to grasp. Don’t hesitate to ask as many questions as possible, everyone starts somewhere.
Our collaboration with Creative Access includes agency-wide training on partnership and bias, alongside masterclasses that dive into the communications industry’s diverse roles.
A great example of this was a masterclass attended by over 40 Creative Access network members, led by our European CEO, Greg Jones, with insights from Influencer Manager Yen Bui, Brand Cultural Partnerships Director Nneoma Ulu, Communications Director Rachel Watt, and Vicky Janaway from The Gate.
Panelists highlighted essential PR skills, emphasising confidence and value alignment with agencies. Nneoma shared, “there are not many industries where you can be constantly curious, learning and excited,” spotlighting PR’s unique appeal. Greg added, “you’re ultimately all part of a team,” underlining teamwork’s significance.
For Rachel, the varied nature of the industry means those looking to get their foot in the door should “start out where you can, and later down the line you’ll work out what you’re good at”, while Yen stressed the importance of taking initiative: “when you work in influencer marketing, you have to be proactive.”
For further insights and tips for navigating the communications field, visit the Creative Access website.
