Four paid internships are on offer for young people looking to break into marketing.
B2B agency Lesniak Swann has launched its Best Ever Summer Internship programme offering those aged over 18 the chance to work across a range of disciplines and get a hands-on introduction to how campaigns are brought to life.
The four-week programme will give the interns the chance to develop creative concepts into marketing plans for real clients.
It is being delivered with The Challenger Academy in Stoke, the skills charity arm of advertising agency VCCP, and is designed to give young people access to opportunities in creative industries for a more inclusive and diverse workforce.
The scheme has already acted as a launchpad into full-time work with two former interns now embedded in the team at Lesniak Swann’s Stoke-on-Trent office.
Managing director Alexander Swann said: “The internship programme can be a real game-changer.
“We offer an immersive experience with the chance to get involved in live campaigns from the creative thinking process through to the decision making. It’s designed to give real world insights into life working in a B2B marketing agency. We trust our interns with meaningful work from day one.
“Background is irrelevant – we’re looking for people with fresh perspectives, who can engage with the team and our clients and who are able to adapt in a fast-paced environment. This is industry exposure like no other. Who knows where it might lead?”
Michael Lee, chief strategy officer at VCCP and co-founder of The Challenger Academy, added: “We’re committed to helping young and emerging talent break into the creative industries. Our partnership with Lesniak Swann opens doors by offering top-level mentorship and valuable experience, carving out new ways to unlock creative potential in Stoke-on-Trent.”
Chloe Powell joined Lesniak Swann in 2023 after completing an internship and has since progressed from Junior to Mid-Weight Designer. Working across a wide range of creative campaigns, she gained recognition for her work at The Global ACE Awards last year.
She said: “The internship really opened my eyes to how an agency worked day-to-day. It was an opportunity to work on a live brief and present directly to real clients. It was a great hands-on experience and I came away feeling like I was a step ahead in my career with valuable industry connections for the future.”
Mentored by experienced industry figures, participants will be paid the London Living Wage for their four weeks working on projects for flagship clients.
Applications are now open here until Sunday, 12 April.
The internship takes place between 3 and 28 August 2026, and is based at Lesniak Swann’s head office at Spode in Stoke, including access to its office in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
