Aspectus Group

The Aspectus Academy is a fully paid apprenticeship scheme created to widen access to the communications industry while maintaining high professional standards.

Designed as a genuine alternative to university, the Academy targets school leavers from underrepresented ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds who are often excluded by traditional entry routes. Apprentices join Aspectus as full employees on a £25,000 salary, paid above the Living Wage, with full company benefits and bonus eligibility.

The two-year programme combines structured on-the-job training within client teams, planned rotation across disciplines, one-to-one and group training with senior leaders, and an industry-accredited qualification in PR and digital marketing. From day one, apprentices are embedded in teams and trusted with real responsibility. The clear aim is long-term employability and career progression, ideally within Aspectus, rather than short-term placements or observational internships.

Demand for the Academy has grown rapidly. Applications increased from 19 in 2023 to 76 in 2025, with 100 already received for the 2026 intake. We deliberately appoint small cohorts to protect quality of experience and ensure meaningful support. Fifty-eight percent of participants come from ethnic minority backgrounds, and 100% are from non-graduate routes.

Alongside the Academy, Aspectus also recruits graduates directly through open advertising rather than agencies, hiring 12 graduates over the past two years from diverse backgrounds.

In an industry still reliant on unpaid or inaccessible internships, the Aspectus Academy represents a deliberate, paid and long-term intervention designed to change who gets access to careers in communications.