Creative sector blueprint pledges support for young people

Government has promised to increase opportunities to pursue careers in the creative industries as part of the Creative Industries Sector Vision, published yesterday.

The pledges have been grouped together under a ‘creative careers promise’, which is aimed at offering young people from all backgrounds more opportunities to participate in creative activities from an early age to build a highly-skilled and inclusive creative workforce.

The creative careers promise covers one of the Creative Industries Sector Vision’s three main goals – the workforce – and in turn has three key objectives, to develop education, skills and job quality in the creative industries.

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By achieving them, it will go towards helping reach the target of an extra million jobs in the creative industries by 2030, first set out by Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer last month.

“In 2030, we will have delivered on a creative careers promise,” the sector vision report states.

“We will build a pipeline of talent into our creative industries, from primary school to post-16 education and those returning to the workforce.

“We want to generate more fruitful opportunities through an inspiring and fulfilling education. This is to ensure our creative workforce will meet the needs of industry and embody the diversity, dynamism and talent of the UK.

“We will enable a new generation of highly-skilled workers to enter the creative workforce, as well as supporting the current generation to learn new skills and progress.

“We want to see the sector create even more new jobs, with creative careers providing high quality work across the UK.”

Key actions

Among the key pledges in the creative careers promise is the publication of a Cultural Education Plan later this year.

The Cultural Educational Plan was first announced in the Department for Education’s (DfE) Schools White Paper in March 2022, with an Expert Advisory Panel convened to oversee its delivery last autumn.

The plan is expected to focus on ensuring all children and young people have access to a diverse range of cultural education. A DCMS and DfE commissioned piece of research, asking young people for their view on culture, creativity and cultural education, is currently open.

“We need to provide equal access to the creative and cultural sectors and build a foundation of knowledge and pathways into the creative industries at every stage, from schools to further and higher education, to foster creative talent early on,” the sector vision states.

“This must be informed by industry and complemented by specialist careers information, advice and guidance, to ensure members of the future workforce are aware of the diverse range of roles and pathways into the creative industries.”

Enrichment activities

In addition to the Cultural Education Plan, the sector vision says government will continue with the delivery of last year’s National Plan for Music Education, while also exploring opportunities for enrichment activities as part of wraparound childcare provision.

Under the skills development objective is a promise to work with the creative industry to develop effective post-16 technical skills routes.

This will include supporting the role of T-Levels in creative subjects and increasing the provision and take up of creative apprenticeships.

The sector vision states this provision will be “dynamic, based on clear data and evidence to identify, anticipate and respond quickly to the demands of creative businesses”.

And while most of the creative careers promise focuses on young people, it also commits to supporting lifelong learning in the creative industries, through enabling the sector to retain and train its existing workforce through skills development.

“With the best management and workplace practices, as well as clear support for professional development and progression, we can ensure everyone in the creative industries can thrive and the sector can meet its workforce requirements,” the sector vision adds.

To deliver the creative careers promise obectives, the vision says joined up government and industry engagement will be essential.

Government expects the work to support several wider ambitions across departments, such as the DfE’s Skills for Jobs: Lifelong Learning for Opportunity and Growth White Paper, the Department for Business and Trade’s Good Work: The Taylor Review of Modern Working Practice, DCMS’s UK Digital Strategy, and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Levelling Up White Paper.