Marketing mentorship scheme launches to upskill students for graduate employment

Raptor Academy Mentorship scheme launches to upskill students for graduate employment 

• Led by student marketing agency Raptor, the Academy will provide student ambassadors across UK with invaluable networking tools
• Last year’s cohort saw graduates go on to work for Raptor, Amazon, PepsiCo and  DAME
• Up to 100 student will have the opportunity to pitch ideas to brands they love, with the program doubling since last year
• Last years brands included  Depop, HostelWorld, Voi and MOB Kitchen

Following its success last year, student marketing agency, Raptor, is today re-launching the Raptor Academy Accreditation Scheme which provides student ambassadors with the unique insights and skills needed for a career in marketing and a chance to work on some of the biggest consumer brands in the world. 

Designed to give a first step into the world of marketing for students who may be struggling to gain experience or graduate roles, the Academy will provide students with the opportunity to gain mentorship and develop their understanding of marketing fundamentals such as new business, social media and account management.

This comes at a time when many students feel university has only partially prepared them for life after graduation, with a recent survey from the National University finding that over 87% of students said that if they learnt to have better time management skills they would perform better in their classes. 

Raptor’s own research revealed that 86% of students said they believed the pandemic had either somewhat or greatly impacted their chances of finding graduate employment in addition to the already well documented impact it has had on their mental health. 

To ensure this generation gains the necessary experience they need to navigate the post-university world, Raptor Academy students will get the rare opportunity to bring their ideas to life and pitch them to the brands that they love, which last year included Depop, HostelWorld, Voi and MOB Kitchen. Furthermore, graduate opportunities at Raptor HQ with their brand partners will also be made available to stand out candidates. 

David Burgman, Managing Director of Raptor said:

“Students are at the heart of all our work at Raptor, and the Academy is our way of giving back to our incredible network of student brand ambassadors by providing them with the insight and skills they need to break into marketing. The last two years have been hard for students, with over a third of our network looking to delay entering the workforce because of the current graduate market and we want to help alleviate that pressure and create a space for them to upskill with our incredible team.”

On her experience, Amy Dewar, Raptor Academy 2021 Graduate said:

“My favourite memory was probably the first pitch I got to do, which was to Mob Kitchen. I’d followed Mob Kitchen for a few years and always really admired their content and marketing, so getting the chance to meet the founder and pitch my ideas directly to him was a surreal experience! I was fortunate enough to secure an internship and later a job at Raptor because of the Academy, and found that after graduating, I secured more interviews at other companies because of the unique experience that the Academy allowed me to talk about on my CV.”

Olivia Drysdale, another Academy Alum said:

“Joining the academy was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. My favourite memory was pitching to Beauty Bay, it was definitely a challenge, but an experience that not many university students can say they have had. Since the academy, I have been offered a commercial (sales) internship with PepsiCo, I believe that the academy helped me get to this point. Before the academy, I had never considered new business as an area of interest for me, but I discovered that it is something that I actually really enjoy.”

Raptor welcomes any student onto the programme and is passionate about ensuring equal opportunity for all. Research has revealed an entrenched lack of ethnic, socio-economic and gender diversity within the wider marketing industry and Raptor is looking to tackle this head on by providing every student with the necessary skills and guidance on how to enter the world of marketing.