Mumbai: The first edition of the program was well received by the youth from different corners of India who queued up in droves to understand the industry of advertising and what it had to offer to the end-users. That was the outcome of the Lowe Lintas Apprentice Programme (LLAP) that was conducted by Lowe Lintas + Partners in 2012. Building up on that momentum and with a host of additions to the list, the agency has announced the rollout of the second edition of the program in India.
As one of the leading communication agencies in the country, Lowe Lintas + Partners has always supported unique training and recruitment initiatives that aims to broaden its already diverse talent pool. Thus was launched a unique 18-month training program in August 2012 known as the Lowe Lintas Apprenticeship Program (LLAP). The objective of the program is to seek out the oft-overlooked talent available in non-metro cities, identify those with potential and give them the opportunity to succeed in the marketing communications industry. In the first edition, the agency reached out to eight cities across India and received enrollment from about 3000 students. In fact, the apprentices from the first batch of LLAP are currently working as full-time employees across various divisions in the company and are shaping their careers as advertising professionals.
Building on the success of LLAP 1, the agency plans to broaden the initiative by visiting more colleges for the second edition of the program. Thus Lowe Lintas + Partners has moved off the well-trodden path of recruiting from ranked B-Schools, and approach Institutes and Colleges in smaller cities that are making a name for themselves on the parameter of educational excellence. These colleges are evaluated basis the faculty and management focus on the overall development of the student, the opportunities for self-expression provided, and where students are focused on achieving excellence, rather than a singular emphasis on placements. Graduate students with backgrounds as varied as Geology, Zoology, Computer Science, Physics, Commerce, Dentistry, Management, Economics, Engineering and Journalism apply for this program.
The second batch of LLAP will start on July 1, 2015 with the recruitment process currently underway.
Sharing his views on the program, Joseph George, CEO, Lowe Lintas + Partners said, “This is an important and exciting talent initiative for the Lowe Lintas + Partners, which is investing a significant amount of time and resources in this course. The program is intensive, practical, and represents an absolutely unique opportunity to tap into the tremendous potential of the smaller cities of India. The group of students finally selected represent extreme diversity – different academic pursuits, varied socio-economic backgrounds, they all come from different parts of the country, their personalities and interests are divergent. But what is common is the hunger to achieve, the willingness to put their all into this program with the unshakeable belief that they will succeed.”
Of the total applicants, 25 students will get a chance to train for 18 months at Lowe Lintas + Partners. “Apprentices receive training on a wide range of topics related to creative thinking, branding, consumer insight generation, advertising appreciation, and design. These classroom sessions combined with reading assignments, live projects, immersion stints and hands-on experience on live accounts, ensures a packed 18 months,” added Michelle Suradkar, HR Director, Lowe Lintas + Partners.
Basis their performance and ability to excel on the job, the Apprentices stand a chance to secure a permanent job at Lowe Lintas + Partners. During their apprenticeship the students will be provided with a stipend along with accommodation in Mumbai.
As part of the current selection drive, Lowe Lintas + Partners visited the Aligarh Muslim University last week and was greeted by a packed auditorium of over 300 students. The selection procedure was rigorous and involved a variety of techniques. Over the course of two days, students went through written tests, creativity tests, group interviews and in-depth personal interviews.
The next stop on the selection tour is Bhubaneswar where the agency has already received enrollment queries in excess of 2000 students. Selections will happen between the 8-11th of December. The agency is expecting enrollments to the tune of 5000 students for the second edition of the program.
The final rounds of selection will be conducted in April and May 2015 through panel interviews with business and creative heads of the agency.
