Member Article

TRAILBLAZING AGENT ACADEMY NAMED TOP CREATIVE AND DIGITAL BUSINESS

Liverpool-based Agent Academy, the social enterprise established to equip young people with the skills they need to succeed in the digital revolution, has been named in the TLA (Tech London Advocates) Creative Tech 100 list.

Announced during the London Tech Week at the Creative Industries Council Summit, the list – compiled by the TLA, a provide sector-led coalition of over 4,000 experts from the tech sector – identifies organisations across the country which harness the commercial potential of creativity. It highlights the potential for London and other UK cities to become world-class hubs for ‘createch’ businesses.

Createch is the umbrella term for activities built around the interaction of technology and creativity to produce new, value added products, services and experiences. According to the TLA, the UK’s creative and digital sectors are large and growing, contributing £91.8bn and £116.5bn respectively to the UK economy in 2016. In addition, between 2011 and 2016, creative jobs grew by 25.4% in the UK and digital jobs increased by 12.6%. during the same period, total UK employment grew by 7.6%.

Agent Academy, launched by Paul Corcoran, managing director of full-service marketing agency, Agent, was established as a solution to the issues faced by 16-25 year olds who find themselves, post-higher education, without the skills they need to start careers in the creative and digital industries. As a social enterprise, Agent Academy is focused on developing values-led, socially aware young leaders who will go on to make a positive impact in their places of work and in society.

Zoe Wallace, head of Agent Academy, said: “There is so much noise around the digital revolution, but many young people – especially those from marginalised communities – are being left behind. The opportunities exist but the connection, knowledge or relevant skills are missing for most.   

“Their education might surpass degree level, and yet they are stuck, spending months or even years trying to get a job that means something to them, that they are capable of, that they’ve been educated for, to no avail.    “Working with a network of over 250 leaders and digital experts who volunteer their knowledge and time to developing new talent, we upskill, coach, mentor and nurture to bring these young people through.

“We are proud of our success, with over 90% of our students getting industry jobs when they finish our 12-week programme, and being named as part of the TLA Creative Tech 100 list is a testament to the work that we are doing to provide opportunities to those who deserve them.”

To date, over 200 business leaders have contributed to the delivery of Agent Academy programmes and 65 jobs have been created, with over £1 million in salaries generated into the local economy.

To find out more about Agent Academy, visit: http://www.agentacademy.org.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Agent Academy .