The DMA is calling on the creative industries to step up recruitment and support for entry-level marketing talent following the launch of its own jobs board for DMA members and students.
The move comes on the back of new figures which reveal that one in eight (12.6%) of the UK’s under 25s are neither working nor in full-time study, while the trade body reports recruitment has become of increasing concern to its membership, and society more widely, since the pandemic began.
According to the DMA’s own research, carried out among asked 220 DMA Awards judges, retaining talent (53%) and attracting talent (49%) were seen as two of the three most significant issues facing the sector today, as well as diversity and inclusion (58%), which was the most cited challenge.
Many companies abandoned expansion plans over the lockdown period, as survival became a business priority. A huge issue the industry now faces, according to the DMA at least, is that many businesses are looking to recruit at the same time, but data and marketing roles are notoriously hard to recruit for.
Employers end up paying very high salaries, competing for a decreasing pool of people, the DMA maintains, adding that diversity, inclusion, talent acquisition and retention are the industry’s biggest challenges, yet the professional world is still failing to attract the next generation of talent.
DMA Talent general manager Kate Burnett said: “With youth employment hit hard due to the coronavirus epidemic, we remain determined to support young talent at a crossroads in their career who are seeking entry-level roles.
“Marketing recruitment had a short-term outlook long before the pandemic – this needs to change. There is a tendency across the industry to hire experienced people rather than grow, upskill and support our own people and the next generation.
“We need young people within our businesses for a number of reasons. They are essential for helping organisations to stay relevant to customers, bringing fresh insights and a unique perspective on how to attract a younger demographic.”
The DMA recently launched a marketing jobs board, where DMA member companies can share entry-level marketing vacancies, and DMA Student Members can hunt for jobs.
However, there are currently just a handful of organisations, including Asda, Merkle, Medialab, MI Media and naturally the DMA, which have vacancies listed; not all are for entry level roles.
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