Manchester Masters, the initiative set up to attract and keep the country’s best graduate talent in Manchester, has overcome cuts in funding to run for a third year. Following the success of the first two years of the programme, Manchester Masters has now started its search for the region’s top graduates to work in the thriving creative sector.
Students who have recently graduated from Greater Manchester universities can apply for the programme by completing an online form found at www.manchestermasters.com. The top 50 applicants, as selected by the programme’s board, will then be invited to attend a two-day assessment centre, which will include group workshops and one to one interviews. Following this rigorous process, the final ten will be chosen.
The ten lucky finalists will each have the opportunity to take part in four placements throughout the year, working in a variety of PR, advertising, marketing, digital and other creative roles within a wide range of leading Manchester companies. In previous years, placement companies have included organisations such as Timpsons, MediaCityUK and theEword. The finalists will also undertake a fee free masters degree from Manchester Metropolitan University, meaning each student will finish the programme having gained invaluable industry experience and achieved further educational excellence.
“Despite funding and budgets being cut across the country, we’ve battled against the odds to keep the programme running for a third year,” said Sandy Lindsay, project director for Manchester Masters and Tangerine PR’s group managing director. “More than ever, graduates are finding it tough to get work, so it’s excellent news that Manchester Masters will, once again, offer real opportunities for these young people.
“Since its launch, Manchester Master has helped almost 40 students secure permanent employment in the region, and has helped to build our knowledge economy and promote Manchester as the creative capital of the UK.”
Confirming the role the programme can play in helping graduates fast track their creative careers, former Manchester Masters student, Chris Greener – now marketing manager at Outgoing in Didsbury – commented: “The programme accelerated me in to a job I love and improved my working knowledge of marketing tenfold. Manchester Masters made me a far more employable individual and I was able to walk out of the programme straight in to a management role. Now I’m responsible for a number of departments and I am directly answerable to the managing director.”
