WPP-Scangroup and KCB Group have partnered with Strathmore Business School to launch a programme that provides university students a platform to launch their marketing communications careers.
Known as “The Crucible”, the talent incubation programme aims at creating a sustainable talent pipeline for the marketing and communication industry and equipping students with the necessary practical skills they need to launch their professional careers.
The programme kicked off in August with the launch of the inaugural Crucible National Student Marketing Competition, an industrywide initiative that brought together marketing and communication students from major public and private universities in the country.
This is aimed at creating an integrated marketing communication campaign for select KCB Group products.
The competition will give students an opportunity to practice what they learn in their advertising, public relations, marketing research and digital marketing classes. The winning team will walk away with paid internships with a WPP-Scangroup agency of their choice and a purchase offer from KCB to commercially develop their campaign idea.
Additionally, the winners will receive a monetary token coupled with a scholarship for an advanced course in Integrated Brand Communications from the International School of Advertising, among other prizes.
Speaking during a roundtable event organized by the Strathmore Business School, WPP-Scangroup Group Chief Executive Officer Bharat Thakrar said the partnership will help promote the industry, build skills and create a future pipeline of talent.
“Our most valuable business asset are the people working within WPP-Scangroup. Their insights, ideas, inputs and executions have helped our clients sustain and grow their business over the years,” said Mr Thakrar.
Strathmore Business School Head of Marketing Faculty Dr James Njuguna said employers often complain of universities producing marketing and communications students with little practical knowledge to solve real-world business problems.
Training Ground
“We hope this initiative will address some of these concerns and be a training ground for students to bridge the gap between academic theory and professional practice,” Dr Njuguna said.
All contestant teams underwent the first round of judging after which five best teams were shortlisted and will be required to present to a final judging panel and representatives from the KCB Group.
This inaugural edition of the Crucible National Student Marketing Competition is also sponsored by Blaze by Safaricom, Kartasi Industries and the International School of Advertising, and endorsed by the Association of Practitioners in Advertising among others.
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