Creative Skillset

  

Pathways into the creative industries

If you are seeking to extend the opportunities that your students have to access the creative industries such as TV, film, radio, interactive media, animation, computer games, facilities, photo imaging, publishing, advertising and fashion and textiles, there is no better source of information and support than Creative Skillset, the UK's Creative Industries' Sector Skills Council.

Creative Skillset's aim is to support the UK's creative sector and to ensure that it remains globally competitive. It does this through advocacy work; developing skills, training and education policy; and by opening up the industries to the UK's pool of diverse talent. It conducts consultation work with industry, publish research and strategic documents, run funding schemes and project work, and provides information about the challenges that face the sector and what the creative industries need to do to overcome them.

The UK has the potential to be one of the world's leading talent
hubs for the video games and visual effects industries

The organisation also provides impartial careers resources for students wishing to gain entry into the creative industries sector. Whether you are a freelancer looking for training information, a student furthering your knowledge of the industries or a public agency partner, Creative Skillset aims to provide you with easy access to the information you require. [1] The additional funding that was announced in Dec 2012 by the UK government to support the creative industries and to enhance the UK's digital skills base was a welcomed boost to the sector. Ian Livingstone, the author of the Next Gen report said: “The UK has the potential to be one of the world’s leading talent hubs for the video games and visual effects industries. This additional funding from industry and government will go a long way in ensuring a continued stream of talent enters the industry, helping to foster the next generation of world class developers.” [2]

The following video entitled 'Choosing a career in visual effects - for 15+ year olds' was funded by the Skillset Film Skills Fund, as part of A Bigger Future 2 and it highlights some of the exciting opportunities that are available to students in the creative sector. [3]

Visual Effects (VFX) is a fun, dynamic industry to work in, creating amazing images for some of the best films, TV shows and adverts around. And what's more, the VFX industry is growing and needs fresh new talent.

This film highlights the career opportunities in VFX and will help young people choose the most relevant subjects for GCSE, vocational qualifications, A level, and beyond.

The opportunities for students in the further and higher education sector are endless. If you wish to learn more then the Creative Skillset's Media Academies are a good source of information and resources. [4]

The Creative Skillset Media Academy Network is a national footprint of colleges and universities that work with industry in developing the new wave of media talent.

The network was devised by Creative Skillset and is made up of 23 Academies, drawing together creative education partnerships from colleges and universities across the UK.

The institutions in the Creative Skillset Media Academy Network are already centres of excellence in television and interactive media. [4]

Schools are advised to work with their local Creative Skillset Media Academy to gain access to specialist staff and resources. Creative Skillset is also at hand to support schools who already specialise or who are wishing to specialise in any of the creative industries.

Footnotes:

  1. Choosing a career in visual effects for 15+ year old: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-s3aOyr4ZA. There is also a similar video for 10+ year olds.
  2. Skillset Media Academies Showreel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPplypE79Sw