It’s hard to believe it’s been only five years – as so much has happened and so much been achieved.
When ScreenSkills opened its doors five years ago, the mission was simple and ambitious: to reduce and remove skills gaps and shortages; create a fairer, kinder and more inclusive sector; forge strong and meaningful partnerships; and to do so right across the UK. This was so collectively we could enable anyone who wanted to pursue a career in the screen industries, forge their own path.
But to do this we needed to find a way to unify how we, as an industry, approached skills - which is neither simple nor easy.
I have always believed that if creativity is the driving force that inspires the incredible content that we love and trust; people are the engine that makes that content come to life on our screens; and talent and skills the fuel that powers that engine.
Over the past five years, the world around us and our industry has shifted - sometimes tectonically and dramatically. Not only in terms of what people want, and how they want to watch it, but because of the impact of societal changes, the ebb and flow of our economy and the global economy, and because of the flaws and imperfections in our working practices that have surfaced.
It has required us all to adapt to and adjust to emergent technologies, identify the behavioural and technical skills needed and the training required, so our workforce can ambitiously, creatively and compassionately push boundaries and bring ideas gloriously to life.
For all of us who helped to steer the industry through Covid - none of these seismic shifts have been easy. But it is at times like this, times of real challenge, that we have the opportunity to reflect, pause and ask - what more can we do to ensure that this magical world of storytelling thrives?
What gives me and everyone at ScreenSkills hope is the resilience, persistence and sheer sense of adventure and daring that is the bedrock of this industry.
When we put our collective and creative minds together, we can achieve the incredible and what feels impossible.
ScreenSkills exists because so many voices across our industry, involved in storytelling - broadcasters, streamers, production companies post houses, visual effects (VFX) and animation companies, sector bodies and unions - give generously of their time and experience, to make ScreenSkills what it is today, and can be in the future.
The five Skills Funds - Animation, Children’s, Film, High-end TV, and Unscripted - embody this collectively in the remarkable work they do. We as the executive are fortunate in working with so many practitioners who are core to the way the funds work.
The Funds help us stay relevant. ScreenSkills was created by and for this industry, we are made stronger when we are fused together towards a common goal.