At some point, everyone starts a new career – but doing so is easier said than done. To support those looking to make that transition, we’re introducing Impression LaunchPad–an open programme for individuals seeking a new career in digital.
A Santander study of 2,000 adults found that 21% want to retrain for a new career but fear they are too old, while 17% feel a lack of digital skills is holding them back. Meanwhile, research from The Prince’s Trust and Solutions Research, supported by IT firm Cognizant, highlights similar concerns among young people. 37% are worried they don’t have the digital skills needed for a good job, and 41% are uncertain about which skills to develop for their future.
At Impression, we’re proud of our Nottingham roots and dedicated to nurturing the next generation of digital talent in the region. We’ve actively supported initiatives like the Digital Marketing Academy at the University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, and partnered with The Early Careers Foundation, a social mobility charity. Through this partnership, our team has mentored young people, equipping them with the skills and confidence to achieve their career aspirations.
To better support those starting a career in digital, we’re introducing Impression LaunchPad—an open programme designed for anyone in the Nottinghamshire area looking to kickstart their career in the agency world.
LaunchPad is there to support individuals who may be looking for a career change, to change industry, or may just be starting out in their career after university.
How does Impression LaunchPad work?
As Impression continues to grow and our learning and development proposition continues to strengthen, we want to continue living out our mission of being the best place for digital talent to transform their careers
The programme aims to support individuals in becoming well-rounded digital marketers by the end of its runtime and proactively address skills gaps in the digital marketing landscape. The individual is expected to learn from Impression’s internal team, which covers a wide range of specialisms, which could include the foundations of search engine optimisation, how to run and launch paid media campaigns, and how to record, measure, and report on performance through tools such as Google Analytics, Search Console, Looker Studio, and more.
It’s important to note this is not a fast-track programme. The programme is aimed at individuals looking to learn the foundations of multiple specialisms to support them in becoming well-rounded generalists.
Who is the programme for?
We believe that career opportunities shouldn’t be limited to just university graduates. That’s why this programme is open to anyone eager to kickstart their career in the agency world.
To be considered for our LaunchPad programme, we’re looking for people who are genuinely passionate about the digital space, excited about its future, and eager to learn.
Being a digital wizard isn’t required, but some basic knowledge of marketing will put you on the right footing. Alongside this, if you are:
- Good at communicating, both in writing and speaking
- Eager to learn and put new knowledge into practice
- Interested in keeping up with industry trends
- Organised and able to juggle multiple tasks
- Attentive to details
- A team player
- Independent, with a positive, outgoing attitude
Then you are most likely the perfect candidate!
We’re partnering with local charities, community groups, WYK Digital, the University of Nottingham, and Nottingham Trent University to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, has an equal opportunity to apply for this programme.
Below you can hear from some of our new starters and returning staff who joined us in 2024:

“Impression has always been a place where I’ve been encouraged to challenge myself and learn by doing. Having the opportunity to take more responsibility when I feel capable has improved my professional competence and confidence immensely”
Joined in 2019 and rejoined in 2024 after changing careers and moving to Canada in 2023.

“From the start, the recruitment process at Impression felt very welcoming and every interview felt more conversational than interrogative. I appreciated that the team really took the time to understand what I could bring to the table, instead of just ticking boxes. After I was offered the role, onboarding was a good mix of hands-on training and mentorship which helped me settle in very quickly. Despite being completely new to the digital marketing industry and to working life, everyone at Impression has been incredible in offering support, answering my questions, and making me feel like part of the team from day one!”
University graduate, BA(Hons) in Management.

“Starting your first job can be overwhelming, but Impression made it so much easier. From day one, everyone was incredibly welcoming and supportive. Over the past few months, I’ve learned so much—far more than I ever expected. The team runs regular workshops to help us grow, and everyone is always happy to share advice or answer questions. It’s just a really great place to work with such a positive vibe. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better start to my career!”
University graduate (MSc in Management).

“Joining Impression as a Paid Social Analyst was a truly unique recruitment experience. It was unlike anything I had experienced before—we were invited for “speed dating”-style interviews, alongside another test. It was surprisingly relaxed compared to a typical interview. We also got to tour the office and learn about the company’s history, which was really interesting. The onboarding process was seamless and stress-free, with lots of support whenever I needed it. Impression’s culture is like no other—fun, inclusive, and respectful of diversity. I especially love the Impact team’s work, like Mental Health Week and other celebrations, which really emphasize the company’s values. The learning and development here is fantastic; everyone on my team is always willing to help and share their knowledge, and I’m constantly learning new things.”
University graduate (MSc in Marketing)
Behind the programme
The Impression LaunchPad programme is led by People Director Zoë Ogden, People Partner Rose Watkins Jones, and Senior Technical Development & Impact Specialist Katie Barnard. With in-depth knowledge of the technical skills needed to succeed in digital, Katie ensures that participants receive the best support and guidance as they launch their careers.
When asked about the purpose of this programme and how it will work, they shared:

“We are delighted to be launching our very first Early Careers Programme at Impression, with the aim to support people in starting their career in digital. We are now a team of over 100 people and it felt like the right time to harness all of the amazing knowledge within Impression to create a programme of development for a group of individuals who are passionate about a future in digital marketing. Our mission is to be the best place for digital talent to transform their career, and this programme provides the opportunity for individuals to gain exposure into various areas of digital marketing to gain an amazing foundation of skills to launch themselves into their careers.”

“Employability and the behavioural skills needed to succeed in the world of work are always evolving. Within our LaunchPad programme, developing successful candidates technical and behavioural skills are seen of equal importance and we have carefully designed the learning pathways to include a focus on the core behavioural competencies needed to make a positive impact in any line of work. Orientated closely to our ‘respectful & fair’ value, we have also paid close attention to the support you might need when entering a new sector or launching your career. Individuals can look forward to a centrally placed mentor throughout the programme who will guide them through their time within each placement, alongside a dedicated line manager depending on the department they’re sitting with at the time. Individuals will also have full access to our award winning total reward package, including access virtual therapy platform, OpenUp and half day fridays, to allow everyone to recharge and rest”

“Aligned with our mission to be the best place for digital talent to transform their careers, we’ve built an industry-leading learning experience that equips emerging talent with the adaptability and creativity needed to succeed in any career, but particularly in the world of digital marketing. We’ve designed the learning pathways to challenge our learners with hands-on experience across key areas like performance marketing, media planning, and commercial growth. Each pathway will see individuals spending time with various departments to build a diverse set of technical and behavioural skills, benefitting from the expertise of each team as well as the support of a mentor every step of the way. Individuals will then settle into their final placement with unique insight into how different channels work together to drive performance and quickly on their way to becoming the future leaders of digital!”
When and how to apply to LaunchPad?
Applications for our LaunchPad programme are now open!
To apply please visit our careers page. If you don’t yet have a developed CV, you can submit a 2-minute video explaining why you’d like to be part of this programme and why it would suit you.
In March 2025, we will be holding an assessment day which gives candidates a chance to see the Nottingham office, meet some of the key colleagues they may be working with and meet other candidates to start building those relationships. We’re committed to making sure these assessment days are informative, inclusive and relaxed.
Individuals who are successful on the assessment day can look forward to joining Impression for the programme in the summer of 2025 for the duration of the programme.
We know that recruitment processes can be daunting, especially if you’re just starting out. Transparency is an important part of Impression’s culture, that’s why we’ll be clear about our recruitment process from the outset so you can prepare. Our application process has been designed to ensure inclusivity and our job vacancies are always run through a gender decoder too, to ensure the language we use is inclusive.
If you have any further questions, please contact us for more details about this programme.