Drummond Central's School of DC Marks 9 Years of Opening Doors for New Talent

Newcastle creative agency Drummond Central has wrapped its ninth run of School of DC, the work experience programme designed to give emerging talent genuine experience within the creative industry.

As the creative job market continues to tighten, particularly for younger people trying to break in, Drummond Central believes agencies have a responsibility to help open doors. School of DC has been the agency's answer to that for nearly a decade, offering hands-on, paid experience rather than the unpaid, coffee-running shadowing many young people are left to settle for.

This year's cohort, Shriya, Poppy, Jack, Thomas and Cameron, spent two weeks getting stuck into agency life, working on a live brief for one of Drummond Central's own clients. Alongside the brief, they took part in creative reviews, 121 sessions across departments, and hands-on sessions in copywriting, strategy and art direction.

New for 2026, students completing the programme will be offered continued mentorship from across the agency, with the option to stay in touch with contacts in creative, account handling, planning and studio in the months that follow. It's a small extension, but one intended to make sure the value of the programme doesn't end when the two weeks do.

​Dan Appleby, managing director at Drummond Central, said, "The job market is tougher than ever for anyone trying to break into this industry, especially in the North East. We can't fix that on our own, but we can do our bit. That's exactly why we started School of DC nine years ago, and why we keep doing it. It's something we genuinely care about getting right every single year. This year we're also extending that support past the two weeks, so the class can stay in touch and keep building on what they've learned. We'd love to see more agencies, wherever they are, offering the same kind of chance."

Since launching in 2018, School of DC has welcomed more than 40 participants through its doors. While it isn't designed as a recruitment scheme, a number of hires have come directly from the programme.

Drummond Central, known for its work with Greggs, bet365, Dreams and Triumph Motorcycles, continues to call on other agencies, in the North East and further afield, to consider what they can do to widen access into the industry.