First cohort of young talent secure placements through OurCity2030 Pathways into Creative & Tech

We are delighted to announce the 14 young people from across the city who have been selected as the first cohort for the OurCity2030 Pathways into Creative & Tech, via the Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme

Launched earlier this year, the programme is aimed at young people aged 18-24 from underrepresented backgrounds wanting to gain more insight and real experience in the creative industries, and was set up by Babbasa and Bristol Creative Industries (BCI), in partnership with 14 creative businesses from the BCI membership community.

Two of the biggest challenges facing the sector are a long-term skills shortage and a lack of workforce diversity. This programme has been designed specifically to tackle those issues.

As part of the Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme, many of the city’s most well-known creative companies have offered six-month full time paid placements to applicants in roles covering advertising, marketing, design, animation and digital.

Zoe Lynes, head of services at Babbasa, said:

“This is an amazing opportunity we are creating for young people across Bristol and our collaboration on this scheme has been a real passion piece for all of us here at Babbasa.

“This project has allowed us to foster a strong collaborative relationship with Bristol Creative Industries, aligning our mutual goals of raising up those young people who have been disadvantaged, to work together to build opportunity, excitement, and progression for those young people who need it most in Bristol.”

The businesses and Bristol Creative Industries members participating in the programme are:

• Aardman Animations

• Aer Studios

• Armadillo

• Atomic Smash

• Diva

• Halo

• McCann Bristol

• Mr B & Friends

• Newicon

• Noble Digital Performance

• Six

• saintnicks

• ThirtyThree

• TMW Unlimited

The full list of interns and the companies they are working their first placement at:

• Abdifatah Kheyre – Six

• Abdur-Rahman Shafi – Noble Digital Performance

• Ahmed Ismail – Newicon

• Amy Smith – Halo

• Kayjay McDonald-Ferguson – saintnicks

• Laurel Beckford – ThirtyThree

• Mohd Wani – Atomic Smash

• Omar Ibrahim – Aer Studios

• Priscilla Kodjo – Diva

• Sara Matloob – Mr B & Friends

• Seren Spooner – Armadillo

• Sophie Kirk – TMW Unlimited

• Touka Mostafa – McCann Bristol

• Yasmina El Khatib – Aardman Animations

Find out more about the creative industries internship programme here.