Careers programme to promote creative industry jobs to two million teens

A careers advice programme for the creative industries has been launched by a group of industry organisations, aimed at informing two million teenagers about the variety of jobs in the sector.

The Creative Industries Federation, Screen Skills and Creative and Cultural Skills have come together to launch the scheme, which is part of the government’s renewed industrial strategy.

It is designed to address the “urgent skills shortages” across the creative industries and will provide up-to-date information on the careers available, as well as training careers advisers about the pathways young people can take to achieve them, in turn helping to diversify the future workforce.

The programme’s activities will include the establishment of a national week in which creative employers open their doors to young people, as well as training volunteers from within the creative industries to act as advisers to schools and colleges, and working with employers to identify areas of need and fast-tracking apprentices.

It is hoped that the Creative Careers Programme will reach two million teenagers in the UK via its online materials, and 160,000 students face to face, by 2020.

Creative Industries Federation chief executive Alan Bishop said: “The success of the UK’s creative industries has been built on the remarkable talents of those working in the sector. Opportunities for young people to use their creative skills are increasing every day as our sector continues to grow at a faster rate than the economy at large.

“We must act now to ensure that anyone, from any background, can access the information they need to discover what these opportunities are and how to pursue them.”

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