At the recent PPA Member Reception, two of the PPA’s Next Gen Board, Poppy Nash, Managing Editor at Who What Wear, Future and Alex Laybourne, Head of Marketing for Subscriptions and Live Events, Haymarket, shared the plans for 2026 to promote the sector.

Careers fairs

One Next Gen working group is looking to help bridge the gap between education and the world of work, reaching young people at the critical moment they decide their future. “By nurturing these connections now, we hope to build a sustainable talent pipeline for all our businesses.”

The Next Gen Board is kicking off the new year at a large-scale careers fair with the mission to help shatter the ‘image problem’. Right now, young talent thinks Publishing is mainly about becoming a journalist. Chatting to attendees will help show that the sector offers careers in data, digital, product, video, technology, and AI… the list is endless.

As a sector we have to compete for this talent, showing the Computer Science grad why a media brand is more exciting than a bank. To do this, the Next Gen Board is looking to build a network of ambassadors – the people inside PPA member companies – to be the face of this campaign.

They are inviting members to get involved on social by creating ‘day in the life’ videos and digital case studies that prove this industry is the place to be. There are opportunities to be at the career fairs, from donating branded merchandise for goodie bags, to boards or visuals that will help bring the industry to life.

The Next Gen Board is also working on a pilot work experience scheme, designed with publishing and media at its core. The aim is to dismantle the idea of “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”.

The Next Gen Board will handle the administration to allow members to focus on the inspiration. They are seeking organisations to co-create a solution that helps give first access to the best talent.

Get involved

If you are interested in contributing through content, donating merch, or being a part of the work experience pilot, please get in touch at nextgen@ppa.co.uk.

You can find out more about the PPA Next Gen here.

Last year, the PPA Next Gen Board launched Find Yourself in Publishing, a campaign to highlight opportunities for people considering their options and career path. It features real-life stories from those working in the sector and how they got there, tips on how to write a good CV, links to current job vacancies, and a quiz to help suggest roles that might be a suitable skills match for a career in publishing.