Coolham employer offers young creatives up to £35,000 as Budget puts youth wages in spotlight
With tomorrow’s (October 28) Budget expected to put the pay of younger workers back in the spotlight, an employer in Coolham is taking a different approach, offering up to £35,000 for a digital content role where applicants will be judged on ability rather than age or years of experience.
The recruitment drive comes as the Government considers the future of minimum wage increases for younger workers, prompting a wider debate about how younger people are valued in the workplace.
Mark Scholefield, marketing manager at Waterstream, said: “There’s understandably a lot of discussion around what younger workers should be paid, but we think the equally important question is what skills they can bring.
“In areas such as video and social media, someone in their late teens or early 20s may have been creating and editing content for years, even if they haven’t yet built up a traditional CV.
“We’re interested in what someone can actually do rather than how long they’ve been in the workplace.”
Rather than focusing heavily on formal qualifications or length of service, applicants are being asked to demonstrate their skills by submitting a piece of work they have planned, filmed and edited themselves.
The successful candidate will create content from projects across the UK, producing material for social media, websites and case studies.
Over time, there will also be an opportunity to develop skills in paid social media and Google Ads.
Mark added: "Our customers spend months choosing a luxury swimming pool, so the quality of what we show them online matters.
“For us, good digital content isn’t really about age. If you have the eye for composition, can edit skillfully, and have the drive to own our content calendar without someone looking over your shoulder, we don't care what age bracket the Treasury puts you in.
“If you can do the job, you deserve to be paid for the value you bring.”