DNA Graduates bring new blood to North East creative industry

The first intake of students has graduated the Different Narrative Academy industry training programme.

Following the merge between Different Advertising, Design and Marketing and Narrative Integrated Communications earlier this year, Different Narrative launched its DNA programme recently.

As the leading end-to-end marketing services provider, CEO Kieron Goldsborough is committed to nurturing the best creative talent in the North East. A group of five students were selected to embark on the two-week work experience placement following an application process that encouraged candidates to tap into their creative sides.

Kieron said: “At Different Narrative we are committed to a change for good, which includes championing the next generation of creative professionals. The Different Narrative Academy has been something new for the agency, but it’s been great to provide this opportunity to some of the region’s best talent and equipping them with the skills they need to make it in the fast-paced world of agency life.

“Each of the graduates brought something unique to the table and I think all of our team has also gained valuable insights from the group, as much as they have learned more about our industry. We’re excited to follow their career progress.”

Natalia Filipowska, Sophie Nichols, Jessica Storey and Nick McCulloch all graduated from the Academy after successfully navigating multiple client briefs. During the two-week programme, the group had the chance to shadow the Different Narrative team, picking up key skills in graphics, advertising, media, account management and PR, while working on live client briefs.

Natalia Filipowska, a student at Northumbria University, enjoyed getting to grips with the academy. She said: “I didn’t really know what to expect coming to the agency on that first day but everything that happened really exceeded my expectations. It was overall an amazing experience, for which I’m really grateful.

“I really appreciate the amount of support that we received and the amount of trust we were given while working on the briefs. All of that really helped me improve the confidence in my work and motivated me to keep pursuing my dream career in graphic design.”

Nick McCulloch, who recently graduated from the University of Sunderland with a first-class honours graphic design degree, added: “Different Narrative are a touch of class! I’ve learned an awful lot in such a short space of time from a brilliant group of people. A good time was had by all!”

Keith Nevens, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Graphic Design at the University of Sunderland said the DNA school was a fantastic initiative for the advertising industry. He said: “Many of our students leave university and lack real-world industry experience which can make it harder for them to land their first roles, whether they choose to seek opportunities in the marketing or advertising realm.

“The Different Narrative Academy is a brilliant initiative that affords these students the chance to gain invaluable experience from people working in the sector. By working on live client briefs, they can also see the nature of the industry and how quickly things can change. We all know that no two days are the same, and it serves as a good eye-opener to our region’s next generation of designers.”

To find out more about Different Narrative visit, https://differentnarrative.com/