A couple of years ago I joined Quirk’s internship program. From my post-graduate marketing class of around 70 students, I was the only one to take the route of eMarketing. Tristan, who has since moved on to start a number of projects (including the online video channel, MyVideo), joined me from a sister program at UCT. But we were two students from more than a hundred, and I suppose that our move was viewed with a bit of scepticism by our peers.

Back then, most of my colleagues were looking to move into the big brands or into the large traditional agencies.

Today, I’m in charge of the internship program at Quirk and I’m pleased to say that it’s no longer the risky or niche choice among marketing graduates. While Tristan and I probably fell into the minority who applied a few years ago, today my inbox is inundated with applications everyday.

And the best thing? These are strong applicants! These are the type of kids who a few years ago were crowding around the large advertising agency stalls at university, the top students who normally got gobbled up by the giants of the marketing world (and who, dare I say it, would have left jaded and disillusioned a short-while later).

From Sarah Beaumont dazzling clients in London to Tim whirling his magic wand in the marketing department, our internship program has proven a success and continues to do so in the shape of the latest group of interns that we took on board at the start of the year.

But what’s changed that has transformed sporadic bursts of applicants into a constant flood of the top students from the major universities and colleges? Quirk has definitely grown over time – both in terms of its size and of its presence. Successful major projects for very prominent clients have combined with our contribution to education (perhaps best exemplified by our eMarketing textbook and the guest lectures that we give at the various academic institutions) to make Quirk into something of a household name for marketing and media students.

But there’s also been a significant shift in the marketing landscape; one that becomes more evident every day. While most of the above mentioned large agencies and brands have been retrenching and downsizing at alarming rates, Quirk has been growing like never before. The benefits of and the need for eMarketing are becoming ever clearer.

Congratulations and thanks are due to Rob, Tim, Heidi and all of the others who have made such a massive contribution to educating the community. But I’d also like to send a shout the way of our seven latest eMarketing ‘Studlings’ – we’re really pleased to have you on board! From what we’ve seen so far, we have a lot to offer each other and I look forward to the huge contribution that you’ll surely give.

A sneaky photo of Ravi, Jamie, Emma, Daniel and Maija - a few of the interns working away (with Dan enthusiastic as always).