MediaMonks to roll out six-month graduate training programme in APAC

MediaMonks has launched a six-month training programme for university graduates with the aim of both nurturing the next generation of talent and equipping the workforce with a strong foundation of digital skills.

The advertising services company kicked off the inaugural programme in Australia and New Zealand at the beginning of February with 13 graduates.

The programme, called 'FreshMonks', includes a four-pronged approach to talent development. Graduates will receive:

• Induction training on values, culture, tools and processes,
• Functional training with overviews from each function that operates in the region, including executive operations, finance, legal, PMI, growth, recruitment, DEI.
• Soft skills training with sessions related to communication, time management, problem solving, project management, accountability and ownership, resilience and wellbeing.
• Role-based training in data and digital media.

In particular, graduates will get a crucial understanding of how to build data maturity with clients in the region, MediaMonks said.

Throughout the six months graduates will undergo assessment tests, on-the-job training and breakout sessions. MediaMonks provides the graduates with meals at the office to help them establish connections. 

MediaMonks plans to roll the programme out to other APAC markets over the course of this year, customising the curriculum to the needs of the market. For example, in Kuala Lumpur, there will be more of a focus on role-based training especially in the creative department, since it is MediaMonks' production hub. In MediaMonks India, there will be a focus on training creatives on virtual production which is beyond just software learning.

The advertising services company intends to run the graduate programme every year to build evergreen talent.

MediaMonks APAC MD Kenny Griffiths said: "We want to continuously build a workplace that employees feel connected to. Our grad program FreshMonks is our proactive and grassroots approach to grow and sustain evergreen talent. With a Fresh cohort comes innovative ways of thinking, supercharging our ability to deliver on our promise to clients. An investment in development is an important driver in directing, targeting and applying our collective experiences to maximise potential. We’ve been on numerous ‘best places to work’ lists and we’re continuously working on creating an employer brand that stands tall."