Creative recruitment specialist Ian Rigby has launched Creative Protege; the first company dedicated to helping creative graduates join the competitive design industry.

Yorkshire-based Creative Protege will act as a virtual design agency whereby graduate designers are given the opportunity to work voluntarily and remotely on live commercial briefs. Utilising contacts accrued over ten years of running Gloss Creative Recruitment, Rigby aims to tap into over 400 companies and design agencies offering them an extra creative resource and the chance to scout for the next generation of design talent.

Managing director Rigby said: “Job seeking graduates have been hit incredibly hard by the credit crunch as recruiting companies are able to opt for experienced candidates. It made sense to me to offer graduates the chance to gain crucial hands on experience working for well known brands and respected companies whilst at the same time offering the companies a free high quality design resource.

“Our latest brief open to graduates is for MTV; the candidate with the winning brief gets taken on as a paid freelancer with their studios and those who don’t win still get the experience and MTV’s brand on their CV. It is our hope that we can help as many graduates as possible fulfil their potential and achieve their ambitions”

Studio director of Ripe Design, Andy Hardwick, is also involved acting as executive creative director, he added: “Creative Protege is enabling graduates to develop outstanding commercial portfolios whilst gaining exposure to some of the best prospective employees in the country. It really is a win-win solution; with all work overseen by industry mentors such as myself the quality of work is exceptional, and they are already attracting live briefs by some huge players."