Deadline Digital is a video production company specialising in news, journalism and corporate films for the public sector.

We spoke to Tom Johnstone, Head of Content, to learn about the benefits the business has seen from taking on a BA (Hons) Animation placement student.

Why did you choose to recruit a student?

The decision was part of a longer-term strategy to grow the business. We wanted to improve our offer by introducing an in-house animation service – so we hired our placement student, Hanna, to be our new sole animator. Working with a student rather than a graduate meant that we could test the waters without being tied down to a longer contract.

How did you find the process of employing a placement student?

The recruitment process was very simple. The University helped us to identify suitable candidates, which saved us a lot of time. We’ve also found the ongoing support useful, with periodic calls from Hanna’s tutors. 

What benefits have you seen from recruiting a placement student?

Placements are a great way to identify new talent. In Hanna’s case, it’s proved to be very successful - she’s a really positive and willing individual. She’s been using her existing skills to produce brilliant work, while also showing an appetite to learn new skills. 

As well as this, she’s also brought fresh ideas to the business, which we’ve been working to integrate into our ways of working. She’s brought a level of creativity to our animation work that we hadn’t been able to achieve with freelance animators in the past. One example is a recent project to promote an event for one of our clients. Hanna’s ideas and incredible illustration style were a huge factor in its success.

The biggest testament to the success of the placement is that we’re actively considering taking on another animator placement for 24/25.

What would you say to other businesses considering recruiting a placement student? 

Give it some thought! Students can prove to be very valuable, and they bring a new perspective to your work. The placement is a year-long, so it’s a relatively low-risk way of expanding your workforce.