ScreenSkills highlights screen roles available at Manchester roadshow

To mark this year’s National Careers Week, ScreenSkills visited Manchester to highlight the range of opportunities available within the screen industry to pupils of six Greater Manchester High Schools.

Funded by the High-end TV Skills Fund and in partnership with charity Comino, ScreenSkills ran a host of workshops, panel discussions and informative events aimed at developing the talent pipeline within the area.

Over three years, the film and TV industry has invested over £100 million in Manchester’s economy – establishing the city as the UK’s second biggest filming location behind London – but there is a shortage of young talent. Research carried out in the area sites the main reasoning behind young people not entering the industry are due to a lack of information, opportunities, relatable role models and the confidence to gain experience.

The roadshows represented a response to these findings and to demonstrate pathways available to starting a career in the screen industry.

Vicki Ball, HETV First Break and Careers Outreach Manager at ScreenSkills, explained:

“Manchester is a key player in the UK's screen industries, and it's important that we invest in the local talent that will help the industry thrive. That’s why we’re working with local people and partners to help inspire the next generation of talent and help them find their pathway into one of the many roles available.”

Across the roadshow, hundreds of pupils took part in interactive career workshops, and attended panel discussions accompanied by their parents from local industry representatives and were introduced to some in the early stages of their careers who have been supported by a ScreenSkills programme. There were appearances by Screen Manchester’s Elli Metcalfe and current and previous members of the First Break and Trainee Finder programmes, on hand to give first-hand experience of how the new entrant initiatives gave them their break within HETV.  

There were resources available such as the ScreenSkills careers maps which provide detailed explanations of what different production roles entail and how to get them and panel discussions allowed both pupils and parents to hear from those at different stages in their screen careers about how to take their first steps in the industry.

The activity was coordinated with the launch of a new ScreenSkills TikTok account, a move to further engage with the next generation and help encourage a new screen workforce.