Target takes up Echo and Citizen's Apprentice Challenge

Target is taking up the Echo and Citizen's challenge and hiring its first apprentice.

The PR and marketing company in Cheltenham has teamed up with Cirencester College to create a new position for a full-time Apprentice PR and Marketing Assistant who will spend a day a week studying.

It is the first year that Cirencester College has run a marketing apprenticeship, leading to a Chartered Institute of Marketing CIM certificate and a Level 3 NVQ in marketing after 12 months.

The MD of Target PR, Sarah Bryars, said: "We were spurred on by the Echo and Citizen's Apprenticeship Challenge. It's a great idea and, thanks to the college, it's the first time we've been able to consider offering a trainee the chance to study marketing."

She added that marketing is traditionally a graduate profession. "But with young people increasingly looking for alternatives to university, it was time to re-think our approach to recruiting new talent.

"It's up to businesses like ours to make sure we open the door to trainees as the costs of going to university become prohibitive and there are so few other options.

"We're pretty sure there are bright people out there with a genuine interest in media, a good work ethic and a creative spark.

"It's a great opportunity for someone who wants to get on to the first rung of the PR and marketing career ladder with a top company."

Richard Ashwood, Director of Business Training and Development at Cirencester College, was pleased to team up with Target.

He said: "Cirencester College has a strong media department, so when we learned that Target was interested in creating a Marketing apprenticeship we saw it as a great opportunity – and quite a coup to work with such a prestigious agency.

"This is a first for Target and a first for Cirencester College, and we hope it will fill a void for young people keen to pursue a creative career."

The hugely successful 100inONEHUNDRED Apprenticeship Challenge was launched by the Gloucestershire Echo and Citizen with Gloucestershire College to create 100 apprenticeships in 100 days.

When 123 apprenticeships were registered, the campaign was extended.

The Challenge is up for a PRide award, organised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, on October 29.