School of DC: The Class of 2025

Every summer, our agency gets a little louder as School of DC brings a new wave of curious minds through the door.

Now in its eighth year, School of DC is our hands-on, no-nonsense, two-week work experience programme, designed to give an unfiltered peek behind the curtain of a creative advertising agency, and what it takes to be a part of one. It’s not hypothetical briefs or simulated scenarios. It’s real-world work for real-world clients, with real-world pay – and it’s something we’re seriously proud of.

Since its launch in 2018, School of DC has always been about opening doors, offering meaningful experiences to people who might not know where to start out in this industry.

This year’s class – consisting of Will, Afiya, Elle, Lauren and Jaz – was a mix of students, grads, and prospective career-changers from all kinds of backgrounds. In just ten days, they became their own mini agency: writing strategic briefs, developing creative concepts and pinballing between departments for Q/As, workshops and pitch masterclasses, wrapping it all up by presenting their brilliant response to a live brief to our client, Dreams.

Dan Appleby, our Managing Director, said:
“There’s always a great buzz when School of DC is happening. This year, the cohort did an amazing job responding to the brief and seriously impressed our sometimes-quite-hard-to-impress clients with their final presentation. What they did, how they worked, how they conducted themselves and how they presented proved that they’re ready for this industry. Everyone at DC hopes they’re as proud of themselves as we are of them and I’m looking forward to following their success in the coming years.”

As a proudly northern agency, we believe in creating pathways into the creative industries for people who might not otherwise see one. It’s no secret our industry's epicentre is down south, but we want the next generation of talent to know that you don’t have to have a London postcode, insider contacts or a polished portfolio to gain the work experience so-often required to get a job. With School of DC, you just need to be curious, collaborative and up for getting stuck in.

And this year’s students did exactly that. Here’s what they had to say:

“Experiencing agency life like this has only made me more excited to work in advertising. I really enjoy copywriting, and it's definitely what I want to pursue.”

“I've realised that I'd like to explore more areas of creative advertising, not just in copywriting like I originally thought… It's also solidified to me that I do want to work in the creative industry, and that I thrive in a collaborative environment.”

“Students from Newcastle in particular are very limited with their possibilities for work experience without having to relocate, which many cannot afford. I personally have struggled with this, so this opportunity has been very helpful and I am extremely grateful. I now know that I would love to work within a creative agency, having discovered a passion for planning.”

Massive well done to the class of 2025 – we can’t wait to see what you do next.