A marketing and communications agency is stepping up recruitment after seeing an upturn in business.

Zest ST, based in Lords Wood, Chatham, is reporting more positive signals in the economy as the UK finally shows signs of emerging from six years of miniscule average growth. It says companies are now positioning themselves to take advantage of new opportunities.

Recent economic surveys suggest the economy is turning around for the better. The agency says it has witnessed a noticeable increase in industry activity over the first half of 2013, and client and prospects are allocating higher advertising budgets than a year ago.

Zest, which recently won accounts in the public sector and international travel and tourism, is looking for new client managers and extending its intern scheme to boost links with universities and colleges.

Belinda Collins, advertising account director, said: ”Some of Kent’s biggest organisations trust us with their marketing campaigns, including Kent County Council, Leeds Castle, and Berry Gardens. Right now we are extending our intern scheme to increase our links with the local higher education establishments to provide real world opportunities to students to gain experience in the creative industry”.

Ms Collins continued, “We are also hunting for full time team members at client management level, and have already seen some strong candidates”.

Terry Hewett, managing director of Zest, added: “Now is the time for organisations to instigate growth strategies, we constantly review our activities and concentrate on our successes and it is this planning that creates the platform for increased business.”