What’s next for students who have received their A-levels and vocational qualifications today?
Studying at a university can be the first step to a rewarding career in the growing screen industries. There are huge, exciting opportunities and the UK is a world leader.
ScreenSkills has information about the different jobs in film, TV, animation, VFX (visual effects) and games and endorses degree courses relevant to a career in the industry with ScreenSkills Select.
All of us at ScreenSkills wish to congratulate everyone for succeeding in getting their A-level and vocational qualifications. We hope that you have gained the results you wanted, even more so given the disruption over the past few years.
For those still deciding what to do next, studying at a university will help you take the first steps to a rewarding career in the UK’s exciting and growing screen industries - film, TV, animation, VFX (visual effects) and games.
The skills shortages in these industries mean that there are a lot of opportunities for you to aim for straight after university. A wide range of different jobs are required in everything from post-production, costume, and hair and make-up - right through to film and TV set design, game design, and animation character design. This is only a small selection, there are many more.
Studying at a university is a popular place to start to get the qualifications and skills you need for these fields and there are still plenty of universities offering places to start this autumn on their degree courses. ScreenSkills Select endorses courses that provide training specifically for roles in the screen industries, but also other wider subjects that prepare students well for future work in this exciting sector.
More information about the wide range of opportunities alongside the qualifications and courses you can take to prepare for these roles can be found in our job profiles.
How to find high quality degree courses in screen
ScreenSkills Select-endorsed vocational courses have been identified as offering a strong preparation for a career in film, TV, animation, VFX or games by people working directly in the screen industries.
To be endorsed, the degree courses must prove they have both high quality teaching and are also plugged into the world of screen industries by having great links with employers. As well as knowing that you are on an industry-approved course, there are also a number of exclusive benefits that only students on endorsed courses have access to. These will help you get a head start on your career.
You can find out more by checking out the courses listed in our ScreenSkills Select course directory.
Tim Weiss, Director of Vocational Skills at ScreenSkills, said: “The UK’s film, TV, animation, VFX and games industries are growing strongly. They are therefore continuing to look to recruit talented young people to support their growth. There is a particular focus on key skill shortage areas and future employees with the right employability skills, experience and understanding of the sector they want to work in.
“The information we provide at ScreenSkills about endorsed courses is aimed at supporting students to make an informed decision on what degree to study and where. These are the university courses who offer the best teaching, the best links to industry and best prepare students for a successful in the screen industries.
Hear from ScreenSkills Select endorsed courses
Jeremy Power, TV Production Course Leader at the University of Gloucestershire, said: “Like many of us, you probably binge watch some of the incredibly popular series that drop onto Netflix and Amazon Prime. As sports lovers you probably follow your favourite team, gymnast or driver on TV. If you have, then you are likely to have thought about the teams behind the camera, writing, filming and editing the content that makes you laugh, cry and remain glued to your device.
“Our Television Production degree, a ScreenSkills Select endorsed course at the University of Gloucestershire, can take you, a viewer, and transform you into a creative and skilled individual ready to join the UK media industry. This Clearing, contact us for your opportunity to join an unashamedly practical and vocational course.”
Penny Holton, Programme Leader, BA (Hons) Animation and BA (Hons) Visual Effects at Teesside University said: “Through ScreenSkills; our students have benefited from feedback and career advice from industry experts. Our graduates can be found working as animators and VFX artists in major studios around the world and have worked on many movies and AAA games including Spiderman Far From Home, Paddington 2 and Red Dead Redemption II. We have fantastic facilities and knowledgeable staff. We still have places in clearing.”
Teo Kuzmanova, Senior Lecturer / Deputy Programme Leader, BA Game Art at De Montford University, said “Game Art at De Montfort University is a vocational career-oriented course, designed to develop professional skills for entry into the creative industries.
“Our ScreenSkills accreditation and Unreal Engine Academic Partner status are a testament to the teaching excellence on the course, the content’s relevance to industry standards, and the high quality of student work. Our graduates make the games you play – they have worked on titles such as Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, Suicide Squad, Assassin’s Creed, Watch Dogs, Forza, Sea of Thieves, and many more!”
Stuart Ray, Head of Computing and Technology at Solent University, said: “There has never been a better time to start a career in the screen industries. With television and film production in the UK busier than it has ever been, the industry is desperate for new entrants with the right skills and attitude to succeed. Solent’s courses in Television Production, Post Production and Live Event Technology are all ScreenSkills endorsed, and have been providing graduates into the industry for over 15 years.
“Indeed, our Live Event Technology degree has over 25 years of success in supplying highly skilled graduates into the world of Broadcast Engineering and Outside Broadcasting. All these courses are still open to applicants through clearing. Take the chance to make waves in the world of TV.”
Keith Ditchburn, Principal Lecturer (Programmes) in the Department of Computing & Games at Teesside University, said “At Teesside University we love computer games and have over 20 years’ of experience in running exciting, specialised courses to suit the demands of industry. Both BA (Hons) Games Art and BSc (Hons) Games Programming have received ScreenSkills endorsement, ensuring our graduates obtain the skills and knowledge needed for a career in the games industry.”
Dr Christa van Raalte, Associate Professor in Film and Television at Bournemouth University, said: “This is a great time to consider a career in the UK Screen industries. Our content is in demand all over the world, creating a fantastic range of opportunities for young people with the right skills.
“Bournemouth's courses are designed to give you a head start on your journey, enabling you to follow generations of Bournemouth graduates into fulfilling media careers.”
Itziar Leighton, College Principal at Screen and Film School Brighton, said: “Today provides students who are still looking to plan those all-important steps into Higher Education with an opportunity to study the art of filmmaking at the most bespoke film school anywhere in the UK.
“Screen and Film School prides itself on providing a combination of practical courses, high-tech facilities, industry placements, high-profile college patrons and master classes. As well as this, we have degree choices which range from the hugely popular BA (Hons) Filmmaking to more recent, exciting additions such as BA (Hons) Production Design for Screen & Film and BA (Hons) Hair and Make-Up for Screen & Film.
“As we prepare to enter our 17th year, we invite you to get creative by choosing Screen and Film School. We will give you everything you need to establish yourself in the rapidly expanding world of film.”
Jonny Persey, MetFilm School Director, said “Clearing gives the next generation of screen creatives the opportunity to enter their industry with high quality education and practical experience. Our BA courses available during this year’s Clearing cover a range of crafts, from production and screen business skills to screen acting and filmmaking, all of which allow students to learn from industry professionals amongst a cohort of likeminded creatives.”
“At MetFilm School, we really value our ScreenSkills endorsement. We are really pleased that our commitment to continually align our courses’ content with professional practice and the unparalleled career opportunities we offer our students has been recognised.”
Tom Ware, Director of Production and Performance at USW Film & TV School Wales, says “The screen industries in Wales are booming. With the number and scale of international dramas, independent films and factual TV production due to all grow massively over the next few years, we know the industry desperately needs to find and support new talent. Working with ScreenSkills, USW’s Film & TV School Wales is the largest screen education provider in Wales with an international reputation for inspiring students and providing entry level opportunities for our graduates. We can support you to find the film & TV career that’s right for you.”
Find out more about getting into the screen industries
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