Member Article

Social media apprenticeship programme expands into Yorkshire with help from ASDA boss

Business and education figures from across Yorkshire and Humberside have come together to bring the UK’s first employer-led social media apprenticeship programme to the region.

A group of ten business heads - including Asda’s head of communications, Dom Birch, Finn Communications’ managing director, Richard Rawlings and Chartered Institute of Marketing regional director, Di Earles - have formed an Advisory Panel which will help introduce The Juice Academy to Yorkshire.

They are joined by celebrity headteacher at Thornhill Community Academy, Jonny Mitchell, who has publicly supported apprenticeships throughout his time on Channel 4’s Educating Yorkshire.

The Juice Academy, the brainchild of Tangerine PR in Manchester, has expanded into the region, following popular demand from employers and young people, for an apprenticeship programme that not only addresses an industry-wide social media skills gap, but also trains young people in its practical application.

Lucy Adams, The Juice Academy’s senior project co-ordinator, said: “The feedback we have received from young people and employers in the North West has been overwhelmingly positive since we launched last year.

“The interest and support we have received so far from our Yorkshire Advisory Panel, highlights its commitment to helping us bridge the gap between businesses and bright young people. It is the foundation of a positive future for The Juice Academy’s success in Yorkshire and Humberside.”

Founded just a year ago, The Academy has already successfully placed nearly 40 young apprentices with big brands such as BetFred, Pets at Home and Regatta.

To date, the academy has achieved a 100% success rate, with all of its cohort one students securing permanent, full-time roles with their placement employers.

Jonny Mitchell, headteacher at Thornhill Community Academy, said: “The Juice Academy has made a significant impact in the North West and I couldn’t be happier to hear that Yorkshire and Humberside has been selected as its first expansion region.

“Social media is such an intrinsic part of the lives of young people today and I’m going to do all I can to ensure as many of our region’s students are able to benefit from the superb career opportunities opening up to them via this unique initiative.”

Training modules for apprentices of The Juice Academy include Social Media Management, Developing Content for Social Sharing, Developing a Digital Strategy, Keyword Analysis and Social Media for Mobile.

The Juice Academy will host its first Yorkshire and Humberside boot camp selection process on Monday 14 July, where potential apprentices will meet interested employers and complete a series of creative and strategic tasks. The Yorkshire programme is now open to applications from both businesses and apprentices.

For more information, or to express an interest in becoming an employer/apprentice, please visitwww.juiceacademy.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .