Ketchum

Kickstart at Ketchum is our flagship internship programme, created to remove socio-economic barriers to entry into the communications industry. Launched in 2023 in partnership with The Social Mobility Foundation, the programme reflects our belief that progress should be defined by potential, not background.

Kickstart was designed to address structural bias in traditional recruitment. Our ‘Prospects’ pathway uses task-based, CV-blind applications, with early screening conducted independently to ensure fairness and focus on aptitude. Interview questions are shared in advance, and hiring managers are trained to assess potential rather than polish. In 2025, we expanded the programme with ‘Progress’, a six-month paid internship for candidates ready to accelerate existing experience, promoted through inclusive talent partners to widen access further.

Each year, eight interns join a fully integrated, paid programme embedded across our Brand, Corporate Reputation and Healthcare teams. Interns receive structured training, senior mentorship, peer support and client secondments, gaining meaningful commercial experience from day one.

The impact is tangible. Nearly nine in ten interns move directly into employment after completing the programme, with one in three building long-term careers in PR. Of those who join Ketchum permanently, half have already been promoted. Kickstart has strengthened our talent pipeline, enhanced diversity of thought and embedded inclusive hiring practices across the agency.

This is not a short-term initiative. Kickstart is a deliberate, measurable redesign of how we attract, develop and retain the next generation of communications talent.