We’re excited to welcome Maisey to Kensa, who is undertaking a Content Creator Apprenticeship, in partnership with Creative Alliance. Whilst completing the necessary training and coursework that’s part of an apprenticeship programme, Maisey will also have the opportunity to learn from our team, get involved in real-life projects for clients and experience life as a designer in a Creative Marketing Agency!
Commenting on why Kensa chose to bring an apprentice on board, our Creative Director, Jess, said: “For us, taking on an Apprentice allows us to support emerging talent whilst embedding them into our culture and way of working from day one. For Apprentices, the combination of coursework, training and hands-on mentorship helps to develop practical, real-world skills and a level of commercial awareness that even University graduates can struggle with. It’s paid training, with all the perks of our employee benefits package, and you walk away with industry experience, valuable skills, and a recognised qualification at the end (plus, if you’re lucky, a full time job on the team, too!).”
Partnering with Creative Alliance was an easy decision for us—their specialist courses cater towards a wide range of digital marketing career paths, making them the perfect fit for Kensa. – Jess Morris, Creative Director
Focusing on graphic design, Maisey’s course will last 15 months, and will expose her to a wide range of creative deliverables. From social media and print, to web design and branding, she’ll have the opportunity to work with, and learn from all departments at Kensa. As an agency, we’re always open to supporting new talent within the industry, and partnering with the Creative Alliance has provided us with a way to do this.
We asked Maisey about her experience so far at Kensa, and her goals for working within the creative industry.
Why did you want to do an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship allows me to get the real world, hands-on experience I need for a creative role, rather than just theoretical learning. I’m able to gain skills that are directly relevant to the field of work that I’m pursuing. Whilst I’m gaining all the practical skills I need to succeed in this type of job, I’m also working towards a qualification that’s recognised within the industry. These credentials can make me more competitive in the job market, which wouldn’t necessarily be possible going down a non-apprenticeship route.
What have you learnt so far being at Kensa?
There are many new skills I’ve picked up since starting at Kensa, and in quite a small amount of time. Before joining Kensa, I’d never used the Adobe Suite software before, but after completing training courses, shadowing other members in the team, and getting involved in projects where software like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop are required, I feel that I’ve gained a lot of knowledge.
My conceptual thinking has also developed massively. When working in group projects, I’ve needed to have the ability to come up with fresh, unique ideas, while considering the client’s goals and target audience. I’ve also noticed myself naturally paying a lot more attention to detail when completing work for clients, ensuring every part of the design, whether it’s spacing, alignment or colour choices, is carefully crafted.
What’s your favourite thing you’ve worked on while you’ve been here?
My favourite thing I’ve worked on since starting at Kensa is branding for a new West Midlands based gym. I was involved in the start to finish process of coming up with my own concept for a website design, and was able to make mock-ups of products, logos, and a sample website design.
What else are you looking forward to learning during your apprenticeship?
I’m looking forward to developing my skills further in the software that Kensa uses, learning more about the theoretical side of graphic design and taking part in more group projects where I’m able to come up with my own concepts for designs.
Would you recommend going through Creative Alliance for other people who want to start a Creative Career?
I would as there’s a lot of different routes you can take, depending on the type of creative role you’re looking for. As the job I am doing is a graphic design apprentice, the course I’m taking is a Level 3 Content Creator. But there are many other different opportunities available. The team at Creative Alliance are very helpful in tailoring their work and learning resources to fit into your job role, to allow you to learn to the best of your ability.
During her course, Maisey will be closely mentored by our Creative Director, Jess.
Maisey has already become an integral part of our team. She’s adapted to the fast pace of agency life with ease and is thriving in the creative environment. Maisey embodies all the qualities of a great Apprentice: she listens well, learns quickly, is always eager to improve, and isn’t afraid to share her ideas. These are exactly the qualities we value in creative roles, and I have every confidence she’ll continue to go from strength to strength – both here at Kensa and wherever her career takes her.
We’d like to give Maisey a massive welcome to the team and we’re looking forward to helping her learn and create her own path in the world of design!
