Many careers in marketing and advertising begin with an internship. At a time when the share of young people working in the industry is decreasing, it should come as no surprise that internships are also disappearing.
Figures from employment data provider Live Data Technologies show a year-over-year decline in internships at U.S. marketing and advertising companies since 2022.
In addition to the overall decline, the seasonal spike in internships during the summer has also become less pronounced in recent years. In 2022, the number of interns in June was nearly 125% higher than those in January of that same year. This year, however, marketing and advertising internships in June were up only 40% compared to the beginning of 2025.
To arrive at these findings, Live Data Technologies examined publicly available information from several U.S. marketing and advertising companies. The list includes ad giants IPG and Omnicom, along with Publicis agencies Digitas and Starcom.
Internships at marketing and advertising agencies appear to be dropping for a few reasons. One is companies’ increasing push to diminish labor costs through layoffs, consolidation, and artificial intelligence. Because of that, companies are less likely to invest in early-career employees, according to analysts.
“The continued infusion of AI and automation has led to a decline in entry-level roles for many organizations, with hiring priority shifting to mid- and senior-level positions,” said Justin Roberts, associate vice president of global culture and inclusion at independent media agency Kepler.
Additional numbers from Live Data Technologies illustrate this shift. Staff positions at U.S. marketing and advertising firms have diminished nearly 11% since January 2022. Manager and director jobs, meanwhile, have remained relatively steady during the same period.
“The entry-level crunch has a trickle-down effect,” said J. Scott Hamilton, president and CEO of Live Data Technologies. “With no junior roles to fill next year, there will be fewer internships this year.”
In addition to a decline in available roles, there’s less demand for the types of internships many agencies offer—particularly unpaid ones.
Laura Emanuel, managing director at Red Thread PR, said applicants used to clamor for the agency’s unpaid internship. She remembers working with a group of three or four interns each season. Deciding who to pick from a pool of candidates was difficult.
“Ten years ago, we would promote our internships with a single social post and be inundated with eager, ambitious college students pitching themselves for the role,” Emanuel said. “It was a truly competitive search.”
That’s no longer the case. Now, the public relations agency looks to bring in two people every time the program runs. While the part-time arrangement doesn’t provide financial compensation, it gives interns valuable experience working on real client projects, Emanuel said.
The decline in internships coincides with a dip in young workers. Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show employees aged 20-24 held 10.5% of all jobs in advertising, public relations, and other related services in 2019. In 2024, the same group represented just 6.5% of the workforce.
During this same five-year period, the median age of people employed in the ad industry increased to 39.8 from 38.5.
Despite overall trends, internships aren’t vanishing everywhere. Ad holding company Stagwell, for instance, reports its internship program has been growing. So far this year, it’s taken in around 150 interns and apprentices across its network of U.S. agencies.
“Talent needs are more critical than ever as the landscape rapidly changes with shifting markets and advances in automation,” said Stephanie Howley, chief people officer at Stagwell.
Howley noted Stagwell plans to expand its relationships with universities and host more agency-specific events to continue building connections with young people interested in a career in advertising.
In a similar attempt to attract and nurture rising talent, Kepler runs a free eight-week training program called Kepler U, which offers aspiring digital marketers hands-on experience, one-on-one mentorship, and access to industry thought leaders through panel discussions. Since debuting in 2021, Kepler U has helped more than 300 people secure full-time roles in the industry, according to the company.
“Young professionals have been the backbone of our industry for decades,” said Roberts, the Kepler associate vice president. “My sincere hope is we don’t lose sight of the considerable need for their contributions in the years to come.”
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