Swindon-based creative agency GEL Studios is celebrating the first anniversary of its Next Gen programme.
The innovative work experience initiative is designed to give young people meaningful, hands-on experience within a creative agency environment.
The programme was created to move beyond traditional work experience models by providing students with creative briefs, practical skills development and direct support from industry professionals.
Over the past 12 months, 15 students have completed placements through the programme, spending a combined 91 days in the agency's Swindon studio.
During that time, students completed 21 creative projects and received 344 hours of support and mentorship from the GEL Studios team.
Beth Wakefield, Creative Strategist at GEL Studios and lead of the Next Gen programme, said: "Developing Next Gen has been one of the most rewarding projects I’ve been involved in.
"I wanted to create a programme that gives young people meaningful insight into the creative industry and helps them build confidence in where their skills could take them.
"Over the past year, it has been a privilege to work alongside our Senior Designer, Elisha, to continue shaping the programme and supporting the students taking part.
"One of the most rewarding aspects has been seeing young people grow in confidence, develop new skills and start to recognise the value of their own ideas.”
Alongside the placements themselves, the agency has also strengthened its engagement with local education providers, attending six school and college events and contributing a further 52 hours to careers fairs, mock interviews, futures evenings and creative brief workshops.
Unlike traditional work experience placements, every student participating in Next Gen is assigned a creative brief that allows them to explore areas including branding, content creation, market research, graphic design and social media.
Depending on their interests, students also gain experience using industry-standard tools such as Canva, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Google Ads and SEMrush.
A key element of the programme is encouraging students to present their ideas and respond to professional feedback.
While this can initially feel daunting, many participants have highlighted presentation experience as one of the most valuable aspects of their placement, helping them build confidence for future university, workplace and career opportunities.
Feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants rated their overall experience an average of 9.6 out of 10 in 2025, rising to 9.8 out of 10 in 2026.
Students also scored the programme highly for learning opportunities, the support available from the team and their likelihood of recommending the experience to others.
Looking ahead, GEL Studios plans to expand the programme further, including developing classroom-based workshops, strengthening partnerships with local schools and colleges, and exploring opportunities to engage with younger students through primary school outreach.
The agency also plans to continue evolving the creative briefs and learning experiences offered, ensuring every participant leaves with practical skills, increased confidence and a clearer understanding of potential career pathways.
One year after launch, the Next Gen programme is delivering on its original ambition: providing young people with meaningful creative experience, not just work experience.
People can find out more at https://www.gelstudios.co.uk/work-experience/
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