The Marketing Academy is working to raise the level of professionalism in the industry and encourage bright and enthusiastic youngsters to enter the sector. Participating companies include Earl and Thompson, Andy Green Studios, Nationwide plc, ICM Call Management, St James’s Place and Corin plc.

The Academy has six key objectives and these are a selection of the activities that the Academy has undertaken to support them:

To provide high quality learning informed by current industry practice – the Academy board members worked hard to devise a course for the Marketing Academy students, which is relevant to and up-to-date for their industry. This course has been adopted by the UK Career Academy Foundation (www.careeracademies.org.uk )  which works to raise the aspirations of young people throughout the country.

To provide consistent, responsive good management – the board meets with students and visits them in the class-room to ensure to provide an input into the course and encourage the development of good marketing skills.

Academy activities focussed on and led by industry needs – the students met with a Malmesbury based syrup company to help the company to develop its web site. They have also given presentations about a number of live projects being worked on by Earl and Thompson, to its board of directors. This gave the students a real insight into working for a Marketing Agency.

To develop professionalism in students – the current second year Marketing Academy students undertook a range of placements in the summer of 2007. One student, Anthony Symonds, spent the summer at Cheltenham Town Football Club. He had a fantastic time and learned a huge amount about the real world of marketing – ‘I would love to go back there to work one day, he commented.

To provide opportunities for career progression within the industry – through the College’s JobShop students in the Marketing Academy are provided with the opportunity to apply for jobs in the industry. When the current students graduate this summer, the JobShop will be on hand to link them to local employers.

To be the standard-bearer for marketing learning in education and industry – the board has encouraged the UK Career Academy Foundation (www.careeracademies.org.uk ) to adopt the theme of marketing within its national programme. UKCAF, which works to raise the aspirations of young people, now promotes marketing as a key programme to its growing network of schools and colleges.

For more information about the Marketing National Diploma click here