TBWA\Australia has opened applications for its FRESHIES (formerly Fresh Fries), a paid creative agency apprenticeship program with a new name, a new look, and a new brief, the program.
Now entering its eighth-year rotation in Melbourne, and its inaugural year for Sydney, FRESHIES offers a full-time, 12-month immersion into agency life, rotating through strategy, creative, client leadership, production, and PR.
Since launching in November 2018, 80 per cent of graduate participants have gone on to secure permanent roles at TBWA.
The brief for 2026 is simple: Don’t Fear the Blank Page, Fill It. Instead of résumés or portfolios, applicants are asked to respond with imagination.
“FRESHIES isn’t about your credentials on paper. We want people who see the world differently. People who are hungry to learn, unafraid to disrupt, and who can turn a blank page into something remarkable,” Kimberlee Wells, CEO, TBWA\Australia said.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited into either TBWA\Melbourne or TBWA\Sydney in November for a collaborative group task and interview.
“The program effectively sees FRESHIES take on five new roles. It’s an intense, challenging, transformative, and rewarding year. You don’t just discover what advertising is, you discover where you belong in it,” Ricci Meldrum, managing director, TBWA\Melbourne added.
“What sets the program apart is that there are no restrictions and no prerequisites. Your curiosity is your main asset,” Meldrum said.
“Too many graduates and career changers hit the same wall: no job without experience, no experience without a job. FRESHIES removes that barrier. We don’t ask for a polished portfolio; we look for potential,” Elektra O’Malley, managing director, TBWA\Sydney said.
No industry experience or prior study is required. Applications close on 27 October 2025 at 6 PM.
The 2026 FRESHIES program begins in January.
