This week the Government made a number of announcements on apprenticeships and has changed its position on AI and copyright, which matter directly to people working across the screen industries.
These include a major employment drive to help unlock 200,000 new jobs and apprenticeships for next generation and Copyright and AI Progress - Statement made on 18 March 2026
By stepping back from earlier plans that would have made it easier for AI companies to train their tools on copyrighted material without permission, the Government has responded to concerns raised across the creative sectors and restated the importance of protecting human creativity.
This came a few days after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced new flexibilities around the Growth and Skills Levy. The introduction of the first wave of short bite sized courses, including a new AI leadership – Developing AI strategy course via the new Growth and Skills Levy is welcome news for screen employers that have struggled to utilise their levy funds through the previous Apprenticeship Levy.
Despite some positive news this week, ScreenSkills remains concerned that continued changes to apprenticeships fail to address the challenges within the screen industry. Our research shows skills gaps are most common in mid-to-senior roles, this is where Government can provide the most support to industry.
However, defunding pathways which are designed to alleviate these skills challenges will only exacerbate problems for industry and its skilled workforce. The screen industry sees skills and training as critical to its growth prospects and that of the wider economy. We urge the Government to think again on the changes which specifically affect the screen industry.