A leading advertising agency whose clients include global household names has reaffirmed its commitment to Stoke-on-Trent launching an initiative to help young people into the industry.
VCCP launched the VCCP Stoke Academy in 2021 and has delivered over 15,000 hours of creative work experience opportunities to young people in Staffordshire and trained 629 local students – delivering investment of more than £4.4 million into the local economy.
It has now announced that is has rebranded to The Challenger Academy having received registered charity status which recognises its contribution to education.
Alongside its rebrand, the education and skills training charity will launch an expanded focus in primary and secondary education adding to its existing role of inspiring, supporting and upskilling talented youth from Stoke and surrounding areas in opening pathways into the advertising and creative industries.
The Challenger Academy is partnering with Alpha Academies Trust, a network of six primary and secondary schools in North Staffordshire, to create teaching resources that will introduce students to the creative industries at a younger age and develop pupils’ skills.
As part of its expanded mission, it will also look to tackle the arts education curriculum at primary and secondary school level ensuring it is up to date in line with the changing digital landscape.
Michael Lee, Chief Strategy Officer at VCCP and Co-Founder of The Challenger Academy, said: “The new name, The Challenger Academy, embodies the spirit of the young people we support. They are resilient, creative, and ready to challenge the status quo. We believe that by empowering these “challengers”, we can help them break down barriers to access the creative industries, regardless of their background.
“Our mission with The Challenger Academy is to foster even greater collaboration across the creative industries. Our aim is to expand our network and work more closely with a wider range of industry partners, all united by a shared goal: to open doors and provide opportunities for the next generation.”
The launch was announced at the latest CreaTech Social, an event to provide local creative businesses with an informal opportunity to meet up with like-minded people, network, and enjoy specialist speakers who have no agenda beyond sharing their knowledge and experience.
The news has been welcomed by Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Gareth Snell.
He said: “The Challenger Academy is part of Spode’s CreaTech hub in Stoke-on-Trent, where creative industries and organisations are coming together to collaborate and put their creative skills to use.
“This initiative for young people to develop their talent and recognise the thriving local creative sector is driving real change and has made a significant impact in the Stoke area.
“It is imperative that charities like The Challenger Academy continue to support local young people to ensure they have the opportunities and skills needed to build fulfilling careers, contribute to their communities, and shape the future of the creative industries.”
The Challenger Academy is calling on the rest of the creative industry to collaborate with the charity to get involved.
The organisation will open source their framework for any business that wants to replicate their model in other parts of the country and encourages other companies to join the initiative and set up academies.
