The IAS launches Upstarts Group focused on inspiration and development of young talent in the communications industry

The Institute of Advertising Singapore (IAS) has launched Upstarts, a group dedicated to making the communications industry fun, engaging, and educational for people in the early years of their career.

Upstarts is a new not-for-profit organization formed with the mission of inspiring, educating, and providing a support and social network for young professionals under 30 in the communications industry.

Created by a passionate group of nine young professionals in marketing and communications roles at various organizations across Singapore, Upstarts operates under the guidance of the IAS.

With a growing number of tertiary education institutions in Singapore offering courses in marketing communications disciplines, and graduates from these institutions taking up advertising, public relations and other communications-related roles, both in-house and in agencies, the organization aims to deliver on the needs and wants of this growing younger cohort. Specifically, a need to understand the basics of the business, to learn practical skills they can apply to their work, to form a broad social network, and to be inspired to form a career in this industry.

Lindsey Cummings, Engagement Planner at BBH and Chairperson, Upstarts said, “Currently there are very few platforms in the communications industry which cater to professionals who are in the early stages of their careers, and offer them the opportunity to develop new skills and network with their peers. Almost all the existing industry events are targeted at senior professionals with many years of experience, and as a result youngsters are often hesitant to network, or feel that the content of the talks and seminars is simply not relevant to them.”

“We saw the opportunity to establish an organisation that celebrates the hard work of young people in the industry in Singapore, and also provides them with the tools and inspiration to keep getting better,” she added.

Upstarts will be organising a variety of social and practical events every quarter, including seminars, workshops, networking sessions and awards, specifically designed for communications professionals in the first five years of their careers.

Communications professionals under 30 in both agency and in-house roles who are interested in becoming members of Upstarts can email upstartsmembership@gmail.com. To receive updates about upcoming events, please like us on Facebook