The Department for Education (DfE) has launched the UK’s first AR career fair with Snapchat to support its ‘Get the Jump’ campaign. The campaign has been devised to help young people understand what their education and training choices are and to help them get the best start to their working lives.
Running until the end of March, this is the first time the DfE has run an AR campaign. Get the Jump covers all education and training options and the AR lens specifically spotlights technical education routes which have lower levels of awareness, for example, T Levels, traineeships, apprenticeships, and Higher Technical Qualifications.
The AR campaign is supported by video content – produced by Future Studios and running on Snap’s Discover tab – that showcases the experiences that young people have had on the different available training paths.
Rebecca Thould, Head of Campaigns for Young People and Adult Skills at the Department for Education, said: “We know from extensive research that young people like to hear from other young people, who they can relate to, about their own experiences. We know that Snapchat reaches 90% of 13-24-year-olds in the UK so partnering with Snap was an obvious choice for the DfE. This campaign has enabled us to create a new and immersive way for young people to understand and engage with the education and training choices they have, in an environment native to them.”
How the career fair experience works
Until the end of March, users can open the Snapchat camera and choose the ‘Get the Jump’ Skills for Life icon in the carousel, alternatively, they can scan the Snapcode to begin the experience. Once activated, Snapchatters can enter into a virtual career fair where they can hear directly from young people, they can also tap to be taken to the campaign website where they can find out more information about the education and training choices and how to apply.
Rather than discouraging young people to steer clear of social media, and focusing on the negative impacts, it can have on them, this activation focuses on the fact that young people love social media, and it can be used for education as well as entertainment and communication. Listening to the needs and the interests of young people and working with the tools you have to hand, including the use of social media influencers that young people enjoy listening to and the platforms they like to visit, in this case, Snapchat could be the key to encouraging them to invest in their futures.
