WPP launches its Breakthrough Cadetship in Australia

WPP has launched an innovative new 12-month paid training program, the Breakthrough Cadetship, to provide emerging talent with a passion for creativity the opportunity to kickstart their career within WPP in Australia.

The Breakthrough Cadetship is part of WPP’s talent transformation agenda, enabling WPP to source the region’s brightest future-ready talent.

The inaugural program, run out of Sydney, sees eight candidates experience four three-month rotations across WPP’s creative and production agencies Hogarth, VMLY&R, whiteGREY and Wunderman Thompson.

The program offers the Breakthrough Cadets the opportunity to develop skills in client servicing, branding, strategy, customer experience, and production, with the opportunity for full-time permanent employment at the end of the program for successful candidates. The candidates commenced their cadetship in September, with an initial one-week orientation.

To unlock the next generation of talent, the Breakthrough Cadetship was designed for people with a passion for creativity and a curiosity to learn – formal tertiary qualifications and prior industry experience were not required as part of the selection process.

Candidates were selected after three rounds, with the final round consisting of an in-person immersion day at WPP’s Sydney Campus. The successful candidates bring with them a diversity of experience and skills, including electronics and engineering, zoology, digital health, start-up commerce, innovation and film production.

Morag Eyles, WPP’s chief people officer in Australia and New Zealand, said of the cadetship: “WPP’s purpose is to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities, therefore we need exceptional people to join us on this mission.

"With the Breakthrough Cadetship, we are developing a new pipeline of talent as part of our ambition to diversify how we work and the work we deliver. We are ecstatic to welcome the 2022 Breakthrough Cadets to WPP and look forward to growing together with them on their journey.”

Rose Herceg, WPP president in Australia and New Zealand, added: "At WPP, you can build a career for life; it is something we are proud to support through learning and development, mobility and open doors across our network of companies.

"We created this Cadetship to attract and develop the next generation of leadership within our industry, ensuring we maintain the skillsets needed as our clients’ creative transformation partner. I am delighted to welcome the first cohort of Breakthrough cadets and wish them well on their career pathway within WPP."

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Top image: Breakthrough cadets