On 15th July, the UN marks World Youth Skills Day, established in 2014 to recognise the role skills play in shaping opportunity for young people worldwide. This year’s theme, ‘Skills for a Shared Future’, is a fitting one for a developing industry. As AI and digital transformation reshape creative production, the agencies that will stay relevant are the ones already investing in the people who will define its next chapter. At leap, that investment is a priority.
What does it take to start a career in creative production?
The route into this industry is rarely straightforward, and our new intern Olivia’s hasn’t been either. A Film and Television degree at the University of Exeter gave her the theory. Presenting for a student radio station and a student tv channel gave her the confidence to perform under pressure. Experience as a Production Assistant showed her the practicalities of production. Each experience relies on a different discipline, but together they built the versatility this industry demands. A degree teaches you how to think about work, but real world experience teaches you how to do it, quickly and under pressure.
How does an agency like leap help young people to get a creative job?
Three weeks into her internship, the biggest surprise for Olivia has been the expanse of the work. She has contributed social media strategy, carried out market research, supported content production, and helped organise in-house events and shoots. That breadth is what separates an agency internship from a purely academic one. Rather than observing, interns at leap are actively included in projects, moving between departments in a way that mirrors how the agency itself operates day to day. The pace is fast and the work is genuinely collaborative, which is precisely what makes it such an effective place to learn.
What role do digital and vocational skills play?
Creative instinct and technical literacy are no longer separate skill sets. In 2026, marketing production demands both at once. Olivia’s current projects reflect this directly. She has been researching social media activity and campaign trends, and speaking with leap’s in-house print department to understand how print and technology intersect. What matters most in this environment is curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to get stuck into something unfamiliar. On the job training offers the fast moving, practical grounding that formal education alone cannot provide. It is a gap Olivia has felt closing week by week, and one that leap’s early career talent are fortunate to have the opportunity to close from within the agency itself.
A shared future, built together
That idea sits right at the centre of this year’s WYSD theme, a future built on opportunity and the drive to never stop learning. It is a belief leap holds across the whole agency, not just within one department. Early career talent is currently developing across print, project management, and social media, contributing to work that spans leading luxury, finance, and consumer clients. That reach shows this is a genuine and consistent process through which leap invests in its people.
Quote from our intern
“This internship has allowed me to prove myself by embracing new challenges and adapting when I learn something new. Being trusted to organise in-house events has significantly boosted my confidence, and I especially look forward to materialising the social media strategies we have been working on.”
