How industry informs investment for the HETV Skills Fund

For over a decade the HETV Skills Fund has been working with industry to identify and invest in areas across the sector to develop a diverse, skilled and job-ready workforce to support tax incentive benefiting productions throughout the UK and beyond. These decisions are guided by industry professionals working across high-end TV utilising the latest research to determine where investment impact would be most keenly felt.

Thanks to the close relationship it shares with industry, the Fund listens, responds and invests according to the need of the UK production landscape. This is made possible through 12 Working Groups that provide dynamic insight for the Fund, comprised of industry leaders able to pinpoint the areas of skills shortages and gaps and the most effective use of the industry collected funds. This extends to grade specific concerns as well as the nuanced needs of freelancers in the nations and regions of the UK with dedicated groups providing a direct line to production team needs across the UK. As the members of the Working Groups are at the sharp end of HETV content making, they can see the direct impact of the investments of the Fund on the UK workforce.

Kaye Elliott, ScreenSkills Director of High-end Television, said: “We are fortunate to share an engaged and really supportive relationship with industry which helps us ensure the Skills Fund responds to immediate and future skills needs and supports the continued growth of the UK workforce. The Fund relies on this expertise in conjunction with informed research to guide investment and develop effective training that provides the tools needed for those working at every level within HETV.”

Through annual research, the Working Groups have an ability to assess the effectiveness of the Fund’s investments and its positive impact on the freelancers working across the industry. The latest annual HETV workforce research, delivers findings from those in senior roles within HETV production, was published in March and will now go towards informing the Fund’s 2025/26 investments.

Jo Evans, Head of production, Buccaneer Media, Production Grades Working Group Chair, said: The unique way in which the Fund uses working groups sourced from a broad cross section of the industry means that we on the ground are able to inform and very quickly react to current market forces. It enables us to develop training for key areas where there are skills gaps, as well as being able to offer range of courses covering entry level to career development and senior management to help arm individuals with the right skills and experience which I think has led to broaden the breadth and depth of crew working across HETV.

By working together through the Fund, the Working Groups are able to collaborate to also deliver training programmes that help improve working practices and help install safe, accessible and open spaces for those working at every level of the industry. The Fund’s job share placement initiative was born out of the Craft and Tech Working Group three years ago and has now evolved and available to all teams working on HETV content. The programme champions greater flexibility for individuals to return and be retained in the workforce and demonstrates the long-term impact the Working Groups industry collaboration can have on changing the working landscape for the better.

Investment in improving the workplace environment was underlined by the Fund’s Encouraging Good Work Practices initiative, co-funded by the Craft and Tech and the Production Grades Working Groups, alongside further partnership investment from the Film Skills Fund. The programme will provide the tools for productions to champion good work practices, the benefits of installing healthy work/life balance policies and developing personal and team resilience as well as focusing on supporting overall well-being and developing trust and effective communication.

The knowledge and passion of the Working Group members paired with the open and honest feedback delivered through research has been instrumental for the Fund’s ability to deliver tailored opportunities that help grow a world class workforce fit to meet evolving production requirements.