Merky FC is an initiative set up by British rapper Stormzy in 2022 to support people of black and mixed heritage find meaningful, career-driven jobs. It helped us get to where we are today at Battenhall. Originally backed by Adidas, there are more than 20 companies now offering job opportunities for the right candidates through Merky FC. 

Social beginnings

We’ve always been passionate about social media and had plenty of opportunities to develop our skills while studying at the University of Bath. We worked as content creators for the Students’ Union, and supported Team Bath during the Fast5 Netball Tournament. 

We also freelanced for a sports marketing company that ran the Rugby Pass, Rugby World Cup 2023, and HSBC 7s social channels – all of which helped us pay our way through university! 

But, after graduating last July, we both wanted to find something more permanent. That’s when we spotted a LinkedIn post from Adidas promoting its Merky FC programme…

The perfect storm

We applied for the programme in October 2023 and were accepted a few weeks later. This didn’t mean we would get an immediate job offer, but with help from talent recruitment company Diverse, we were offered a selection of jobs that suited our application. Through this process, we were supported by Tobi Ogundipe and Ayesha Tabbal who were always on hand if we had questions or queries. Being part of Merky FC enabled us to access unique job resources, such as interview guides, 24/7 support, and career workshops. 

Choosing the path

It was great to be able to choose from a selection of companies, and such an interesting range of jobs – including graphic design, marketing and content creation roles. 

However, Battenhall really stood out to us, as the agency’s website was well-presented and user-friendly. Battenhall also has a wide variety of clients ranging from food and beverage, to sports, gaming and finance – which was very appealing! The company's imaginative material on its TikTok page also drew our attention, and we’re now both fortunate enough to be involved in its creation. 

Battenhall offered an incredibly friendly and supportive environment which was evident during our interviews. Plus the office environment was amazing – bright, airy and full of lovely plants! 

Settling in 

Our time at Battenhall so far has been brilliant! We have learned so much about social media strategy and the complexities of marketing, as part of an inclusive and approachable team. We’ve also been given a wide range of projects to work on that have been stimulating and thought-provoking, and our line managers and mentors have made us feel so welcome.

We’re very grateful to Merky FC for giving us a big step into social media. The highlight was being invited to a networking event hosted by Adidas - Breakfast with Merky – where Stormzy himself sent us a video congratulating us on this incredible journey. 

It was very insightful to hear from the rest of our cohort, as well as last year’s recruits. Getting to meet everyone in person, and find out how other people in the program are getting on in their roles was very exciting. 

The journey continues

Battenhall is such a great company to work for and we’re learning so much along the way from colleagues who, like us, are very passionate about the work they do. We’re very excited to see what the future holds!

We are actively recruiting for a number of account roles and specialist positions globally. Learn more or email join@battenhall.com.