Miami Ad School has announced the launch of a creative boot camp that teaches a combination of creative, strategy and digital skills.

Intensive classes in ideation, copywriting, visual impact, brand strategy and basic software are designed for aspiring copywriters, art directors and planners. Successful completion of the boot camps will make participants eligible for agency internships.

Helga Diamond, head of Miami Ad School, said: “In an industry increasingly relying on cross-skilling, a combination of planning, creative and technical skills will produce great all-rounders.

“Idea generation enhances planners’ skills set, while planning tools are essential in creating engaging ideas and building a framework to effectively present them.

“A good example are the achievements of Miami Ad School alumni Jake Blood and Josh Thompson, currently in London at the D&AD New Blood Academy following their New Blood Pencil win for ‘The Wasted Time Trial’ for client MUBI.

“The students, now creative team at CHE Proximity completed creative and strategy classes at Miami Ad School.

Blood and another Miami Ad School alumni, Anne Lau, also played an important role in internationally-recognised campaigns while interning at CHE Proximity.

The winning campaigns were for clients Cochlear, ‘The Hearing Test In Disguise’, which claimed four Lions in Cannes; and for Bayer’s IBS Solution for Iberogast, which earned silver at the Clio Health Awards 2016 and Bronze at Epica International Awards 2016.

Blood said: “I thought the boot camp was essential to any creative trying to break into the industry. Understanding strategy goes a look way for a creative in understanding why and how creatives should approach briefs.

“The boot camp strengthened our connection with the strategy department, and the more we are on the same page as the strategists, the more likely we are to create great work together.”

Lau, now a copywriter at DDB, added: “I completed the Miami Ad School Account Planning boot camp in 2016. Every week, we’d learn something new from industry professionals and worked on live briefs. We learnt to uncover brand and consumer insights, and to come up with big, creative ideas.

“By the end of the 10 weeks, I had plenty of ideas to put in my portfolio and a strong foundation in strategy for my creative career.”

Brian Jefferson, group creative director at CHE Proximity, said: “It’s always tough hiring young talent and throwing them into the deep end of a busy and demanding department, but when they are able to think strategically as well as generate fresh, modern ideas, it allows us to let them tackle real briefs for real clients, making them effective members of the creative team from day one.”

The new Miami Ad School Boot Camps will be conducted quarterly. The next boot camp starts on 2 October 2017. Individual classes in copywriting and art direction are available.

Leading creative and planners will teach five weekly sessions over 11 weeks, all conducted after hours. Applications close on Wednesday 2 August. Tuition cost is $5,500. Contact helga@miamiadschool.com for details.