The Code is Dentsu Aegis’s global flagship work-ready programme, launched in the UK in 2017. It is the accelerator programme for our Social Impact target to improve the digital skills of 100,000 people by 2020. It opens the doors of our industry to the next generation of diverse talent, equipping them with the skills to thrive in the digital economy through immersive workshops, competitions, work experience opportunities, apprenticeships and early career opportunities. 

The Code Canada 

The Code is embedded into Canada’s future talent strategy and led by our Talent Acquisition team in Toronto, who are building a network of partnerships with schools and organisations across the country. During Autumn 2019 over 200 students from secondary schools across Toronto and Vancouver took part in Insight Days at our offices and through in-school workshops. They also ran a careers event in Toronto in November 2019, reaching 1300 students.  

The Code Bulgaria 

Launched at Bulgaria’s Digital Camp in February 2019, the initiative is a collaboration between Dentsu Aegis Network Bulgaria and Isobar Commerce Bulgaria. 

In March, 300 students (aged 14 and 15) across seven schools participated in the Rise Up digital marketing competition. Students tackled marketing and e-commerce briefs from Mastercard and Mondelēz.  

The Code Singapore 

Dentsu Aegis Network APAC launched The Code in Singapore in July 2019. According to the Digital Society Index 2018, almost two thirds (64%) of people in Singapore are concerned that the pace of technological change is too fast. The Code aims to address this, by helping young people to develop the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy. 

65 Dentsu Aegis volunteers hosted Introduction to Advertising workshops in schools, reaching 400 students aged 15-16. They were challenged to bring a client brief to life, promoting a new ad for KFC’s sustainability campaign, Say NO to Plastics, and then pitched back their ideas to peers. 

The Code UK 

In 2019, the UK supported 1,282 students through The Code, with 660 taking part in the annual Rise Up competition. Dentsu Aegis teamed up with WWF, to challenge students across the UK to respond to a marketing brief to attract regular young adult donors to the charity and help tackle climate change. The students participated in workshops led by volunteers across Dentsu Aegis Network, to help build their understanding of marketing, the different tools and techniques that can be used, and the wide variety of roles available in the industry.  

Student project entries were shortlisted down to 13 teams, who had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges from WWF, media agency Vizeum and Facebook, at the Facebook London headquarters in December 2019. Three students from Oaklands College in St Albans were declared winners and secured work experience with Dentsu Aegis. 

The Code Poland 

Poland’s Code programme was delivered with global education partner, Junior Achievement, and helped to improve the digital skills of 600 young people in 2019. 48 high school students undertook work experience insight days at the office in Warsaw, supported by 25 volunteers from Dentsu Aegis Network. Students had an interactive visit to Poland’s Dentsu Maker Lab to test out some of our latest advances in marketing innovation and technology, spent time working on a live marketing brief from client Gillette, and job shadowed DAN employees to learn about careers in our industry. In November our people visited high schools to deliver workshops with over 400 young people.