Observed Signal · Jul 31, 2026 · Policy Update · Source: The Drum · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Marketing Should Be Included in UK Technical Education
Sian Conway-Wood argues that marketing should be recognised as a technical discipline within the UK government’s renewed focus on technical education. Citing a study by Ipsos and Mark Ritson that found only 35% of 1,226 practising marketers passed fundamentals, she says the industry has treated marketing as a 'soft skill' for too long. Conway-Wood describes her agency’s recruitment struggles in Hastings, the value she sees in T Levels (two-year technical qualifications with a 315-hour industry placement), and her agency’s role as a placement partner for East Sussex College. She calls on the industry to promote structured training and mentor 16- to 19-year-olds to widen the talent pipeline outside metropolitan centres.
Addresses the marketing talent pipeline and technical training (T Levels) which affects hiring and skills availability for advertisers and agencies, but is an opinion piece rather than a major regulatory or platform policy change.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Ipsos and Mark Ritson tested 1,226 working marketers on fundamentals and found just 35% passed.
- Sian Conway-Wood relocated her agency from Chancery Lane to Hastings and reports recruitment difficulties for entry-level and midweight marketers.
- Her agency is a placement partner for East Sussex College’s T Levels in marketing and business, which include a 315-hour industry placement and are two-year technical qualifications.
- Conway-Wood plans to take on 20 business, marketing and creative production students next year for 350 hours each in an in-house training studio.
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