D&AD Shift with Google: Top brands join the program to help non-degree creatives get into the industry

D&AD has created new partnerships with leading brands, adidas, Disney, Penguin, Here Design and giffgaff, for D&AD Shift with Google.

This means that adidas will set one of the main creative briefs that will enable this year’s London Shifters to develop their portfolios and creative style, giving Shifters direct access to the brand. Penguin will be the subject of the brief in a day challenge, and Disney, Google, giffgaff and Here Design will be the first clients of Shift Studio, an ongoing mentorship programme for Shift graduates.

D&AD Shift with Google is a free four-month night school for creative talent without degree-level qualifications, challenging the assumption that creative talent can only be found within a small number of universities. Shift tackles barriers to entering the industry by providing an opportunity for emerging talent to develop their skills, establish a network and build their portfolios. It consists of industry-set briefs, talks and mentorship, and provides a supportive educational space for creatives who have faced challenges accessing higher education and employment.

Statistics show that since completing the night school, 78% of Shift alumni in London have entered into paid creative employment, compared to only 41% of design graduates and just 24% of media graduates employed in their sectors six months after graduation.