Penguin Random House UK opens applications for its early career programme to introduce new and under-represented voices to publishing

Penguin Random House UK has opened applications for The Scheme, our early career programme, with a focus on finding editors of the future from under-represented communities in publishing.

Launched in 2015, The Scheme aims to find talented candidates based on their ideas and potential, rather than their experience and qualifications. Supporting our commitment to attract and recruit a more diverse candidate pool, the programme is one of several Penguin Random House initiatives focusing on the removal of barriers to entry to the industry and reaching out to people who may not have previously considered publishing as career.

This year, The Scheme drives our inclusivity ambitions one step further by focusing on finding ten new talents from BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) communities or socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds to join our editorial teams. As publishers, we want our books to reflect everyone in our society, which means that our editors – responsible for seeking out and bringing new and established writers’ works to life – need to reflect our society too.

Ten successful candidates will join Penguin Random House in September 2018 on a fully-paid traineeship lasting six months, which will see them hosted by an editorial team within one of our nine publishing houses.

During their traineeship they will each take part in a specially created development and training programme, designed to build, develop and strengthen their editorial skills and provide them with the best possible introduction to the industry. In addition, they will also be given the opportunity to increase their knowledge and understanding of publishing by spending time with our other departments and experts from within the business.

No professional experience or qualifications are necessary to apply and candidates will not be asked to provide CVs. Instead, applicants will be asked to answer questions designed to assess their potential to develop the qualities required by editors today, including a love for stories and ideas, adaptability and a hunger to learn.

Louie Stowell, an Editorial Director at Penguin Random House and part of the team behind this year’s Scheme, said: “This year’s Scheme is a really exciting opportunity to introduce ten talented trainees to the world of publishing, and to help them develop all the editorial skills they need to build a future career in the industry. With a focus on seeking out those with potential, rather than polish, we’re really looking forward to seeing the diverse range of ideas, insights and creativity all our candidates bring.”

Aimée Longos, who took part in the editorial-focused Scheme in 2016 and is now an Assistant Editor at Penguin Random House, added: “The best thing about being on The Scheme was the variation and breadth of experiences, which were priceless. Everyone in my team was really supportive and if I wanted to try something they let me give it a shot, which I think is a really great way to learn new skills. The Scheme helped me to become confident in my ability to recognise what makes a good book – something I now make use of daily.”

To find out more information about The Scheme and apply, visit www.the-scheme.co.uk. This traineeship is a positive action under the Equality Act 2010.

To find out more about how Penguin Random House is working to make books and publishing more inclusive, click here.

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