As part of its ongoing effort to invest and support university students, Memac Ogilvy, the leading advertising and public relations agency in the MENA region, announced the opening of its Red Academy which will take place in Lebanon. Over a course of 4 weeks, the intensive training program will coach and hire young talents selected from the entire region to equip them in becoming the industry’s leaders of tomorrow.

“The Red Academy lies at the core belief of our agency. Fresh graduates are willing to take risks, show initiative, get the right exposure that helps them stand out in a highly competitive industry and land their dream jobs”, said Ossama El-Kaoukji, Chief Creative Officer at Memac Ogilvy. “This unique and substantial program presented by industry experts from our agency came as a natural response to the needs of the MENA market”, El-Kaoukji added.

Indeed, a fresh graduates survey conducted by YouGov and Bayt.com, revealed that respondents are generally satisfied with the quality of higher education they received except for preparation for the workplace where only 43% rated it positively. 76% of fresh graduates considered finding a job as a top challenge. Advertising and marketing emerged as the industry that hires the highest number of fresh graduates. Recognizing the need to create an environment in which the young Arab generation can be trained, equipped and empowered, Memac Ogilvy is offering this unique opportunity to help students acquire a competing edge and enough confidence to join the advertising industry.

"The communication business is one of the rare industries which offers this region's youth a chance to express their creativity and see their ideas manifested in a tangible way”, said Tanya Dernaika, the group's Training Leader. “There's no shortage of young people dreaming of a career in advertising, digital, activation and PR and Memac Ogilvy is ready to make many of these dreams come true".

“The solid opportunity that Red Academy is offering to young generations is a unique testimony of our commitment towards the innovation of the advertising industry and our deep faith in the promising talents.” Ossama El-Kaoukji concluded.

Red Academy: a wider approach and reach

Initially launched by Eddie Moutran in 1996, the “Graduate Training Program (GTP)” was the first advertising program in the region offered for free to graduate students. At the beginning, GTP was an internal program limited to graduate students from major universities in Lebanon This year, the academy broadened its geographical scope by selecting 18 ambitious students and fresh graduates from the entire MENA region. Students who successfully complete the program will receive a job offer from Memac Ogilvy.

Doors were open to all applicants, under the age of 25, holding degrees in communication majors including journalism, communication art, public relations, advertising and graphic design to be part of the Red Academy. www.redacademy.me

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