Open to interns, graduates, and junior positions in the fields of media from agencies across Johannesburg, the project kicked off on 31 August 2022 and provided these young minds with a free-to-attend day filled with panel discussions with industry heavyweights, skills-sharing and training sessions by experts in emotional and physical wellbeing and EQ and leadership.
In addition, the workshop included an inspirational talk on personal branding by 947 media personality – Msizi James.
“The Advertising Media Forum is committed to playing a role in the career guidance and success of all young minds joining our industry, and we’re excited to enter the last stretch of the year hosting mentorship sessions to inspire, guide, empower, and teach the next generation of media professionals,” says AMF chairperson, Koo Govender.
Media professionals are often the unseen, unsung heroes of the advertising and marketing mix, and play a pivotal role in bringing to life the campaigns that consumers experience every day.
Not only are they key players in the industry, but they also have the power to influence what consumers and South Africans are seeing when it comes to brands across industries and sectors. Media works hand in hand with all disciplines in the marketing and communications matrix to ensure brands and businesses are served front and centre to the public.
The AMF hopes that by hosting networking and skills-sharing workshops, it can provide the necessary launch pad to create a tighter, more engaged, and well-connected industry filled with peers and long-standing open relationships based on knowledge and insight sharing to strengthen the industry as a whole.
“It is because of the key role our discipline plays in the overall advertising and marketing sector that the AMF has launched the mentorship project, creating an impactful property to upskill, empower, and connect young players in the industry and provide a space that they can network and learn from each other,” says Govender. “After all, in this industry, a colleague today could be a client tomorrow, or vice-versa.”
The first Project Mentor workshop took place on 31 August, with plans to roll out more on an ongoing basis in the first quarter of 2023.
