Building a career in the creative industry can be daunting. But all that matters at the end of the day is to take the first step. One such inspiring story is of Richard Galapate, a 19-year-old university student who works as a part time graphics editor, who dared to dream big and take the first step towards building his dream career in photography and videography. Prior to Canon’s AKTASHIF programme, Richard was interning within his university’s media division, managing their social media and creative photoshoots, video advertisements, and more. He would occasionally participate in paid event photoshoots and videography projects. After successfully completing the programme, Richard has worked with several brands and influencers, which has further helped him hone his skills and build his creative profile.

‘The first step’ – what is it? It’s Canon’s AKTASHIF programme. A platform curated to transform the creative passion of the youth into a fulfilling career option and build future leaders.

“I was looking to grow as a creative individual while leveraging my photography and videography skills to make a living. I was keen to learn more about building a business which would allow my creative skills to be at the core of my business. Reading about AKTASHIF and the learning curve the programme offers for creatives with a dream to build a career, motivated me to embark on this journey. ”

“The competition wasn’t just about failing or winning, it was about the journey. The programme offered a new level of challenge at every step while being informative and that’s what kept me going. I learnt something new throughout the four modules. It was here, that I first heard of business incubators, let alone knowing what it meant. But the mentorship support and guidance received from various experts through workshops and focus groups kept the journey exciting. AKTASHIF equipped me with ample knowledge and support, which in turn gave me the courage and confidence to actually push forward and work towards my business.”

“Dare to dream big and be bold to take the first step – it’s the hardest but believe in yourself. AKTASHIF is a big platform, and the journey towards building your dream career will be worth every second with the learning curve and exposure the programme has to offer.”

The second edition of the programme, AKTASHIF 2.0 is here to empower the next generation of creatives, aged between 14 and 25 and based in the Middle East. The programme, spread across four modules with focused themes, is designed to guide the participants to turn their creative vision into a rewarding career. This year, participants will have access to industry experts as well as local and regional brand partners to learn from and unleash their creative potential.