Internship programme offers first-hand marketing experience to emerging new talent

Four paid internships for young people looking to break into marketing are on offer at B2B agency Lesniak Swann in partnership with The Challenger Academy.

Working across a range of disciplines, the placements offer those aged 18-plus a hands-on introduction into how campaigns are brought to life as they are tasked with taking creative concepts and developing them into marketing plans with effective outcomes for real clients.

The four-week ‘Best Ever Summer Internship’ programme is delivered with The Challenger Academy in Stoke, the skills charity arm of advertising agency VCCP. It is designed to ensure every young person has access to opportunities in creative industries for a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

The scheme has a career-changing impact on those taking part, acting as a launchpad into full-time work with two former interns now embedded in the team at Lesniak Swann’s Stoke-on-Trent office.

Alexander Swann, Managing Director at Lesniak Swann, said: “The internship programme can be a real game-changer.

“We offer an immersive experience with the chance to get involved in live campaigns from the creative thinking process through to the decision making. It’s designed to give real world insights into life working in a B2B marketing agency. We trust our interns with meaningful work from day one.

“Background is irrelevant – we’re looking for people with fresh perspectives, who can engage with the team and our clients and who are able to adapt in a fast-paced environment. This is industry exposure like no other. Who knows where it might lead?”

Chloe Powell joined Lesniak Swann in 2023 after completing an internship and has since progressed from Junior to Mid-Weight Designer. Working across a wide range of creative campaigns, she gained recognition for her work at The Global ACE Awards last year.

She said: “The internship really opened my eyes to how an agency worked day-to-day. It was an opportunity to work on a live brief and present directly to real clients. It was a great hands-on experience and I came away feeling like I was a step ahead in my career with valuable industry connections for the future.”

Michael Lee, chief strategy officer at VCCP and co-founder of The Challenger Academy, said: “We’re committed to helping young and emerging talent break into the creative industries. Our partnership with Lesniak Swann opens doors by offering top-level mentorship and valuable experience, carving out new ways to unlock creative potential in Stoke-on-Trent.”

Mentored by experienced industry figures, participants will be paid the London Living Wage for their four weeks working on projects for flagship clients. Applications are now open at https://lesniakswann.com/b2b-marketing-internships/ closing on Sunday April 12. The internship takes place from August 3rd to August 28th, 2026 and is based at Lesniak Swann’s head office at Spode in Stoke, including access to its office in Manchester’s Northern Quarter .