ScreenSkills runs a programme of careers information and outreach designed to find and inspire the next generation of talent across all parts of the screen industries and help them discover the range of jobs available behind the camera and the skills they need. A range of work is also designed to help people with skills needed in the screen industries to transfer them in.
With this year’s National Careers Week running from 7-12 March, we’re taking a look at some of the work of ScreenSkills’ careers team, whose core activity is currently funded by the BFI awarding National Lottery funds as part of the Future Film Skills strategy alongside contributions from Arts Council England and the Animation Council.
National Careers Week
National Careers Week is a celebration of careers guidance and free resources in education across the UK. It aims to provide careers guidance at an important stage in the academic calendar to help support young people as many are preparing to leave education or make important decisions about subject choices.
To mark the week, ScreenSkills are sending out sets of careers maps to hundreds of schools and colleges across the UK to help share information on the jobs available – and we are looking forward to seeing how young people use them.
Downloadable versions of all our career maps are available on the ScreenSkills website.
They provide an overview of the array of roles, highlight the skills and qualifications needed and offer advice on how to get into them, enabling young people to make an informed decision on their future
They’re available alongside downloadable lesson plans and classroom resources that teachers, educators and careers advisors can use as a guide to students interested in joining the industry.
Job profiles
In addition to the maps, over 230 job profiles offer a detailed outline of what each role really entails. They provide up to date information on the skills required, advice on how to get into each one and what qualifications are a good starting point.
Discover job profiles in:
Discover! Creative Careers
Discover! Creative Careers is part of the Creative Careers Programme which was kickstarted by funding from the DCMS and developed further with funding from Arts Council England. The initiative – which aims to build awareness of the jobs that exist in the creative industries to ensure a more inclusive future workforce – is led by ScreenSkills and Creative & Cultural Skills with support from Creative UK. The Discover! website links to careers information and job profiles from 21 partner organisations across the creative industries and acts as a one-stop shop for students, teachers and parents.
During last year’s National Careers Week, Discover! Creative Careers ran an initiative for secondary schools and colleges that saw leading figures and companies contribute filmed interviews, tours and panel discussions to introduce young people to the range of opportunities within the industry. Despite the challenges of Covid-19 restrictions, 461 schools participated.
Find out more about Discover! and the Creative Careers Programme
Immersive Films offer a behind-the-scenes view into working in production
Two immersive films offered viewers a chance to experience key stages of a production without leaving their homes. Made to highlight the roles available at different stages of a production, First Day: On Set and First Day: In Post granted access to workplaces otherwise off-limits to those outside of the industry.
The award-winning First Day: On Set introduced viewers to a working production and the jobs needed on set while First Day: In Post highlighted how a film is brought to life in a post-production studio when the cameras stop rolling.
A key focus of both projects was to open the door to as many people as possible.
Gareth Ellis-Unwin, ScreenSkills Head of Film and Animation, said: “The technology has allowed us to make this entire experience available to anyone from wherever they are and gives them a real insight into how what we see on screen gets created. Democracy of access was very important to the entire team.”
Both films are available to view as either a 360-degree film or a full virtual reality experience.
Watch First Day: In Post 360-degree video
Watch First Day: In Post VR experience on the Oculus store
Watch First Day: On Set 360-degree video
Watch First Day: On Set VR experience on the Oculus store
Young Animator of the Year
The Young Animator of the Year (YAY), part funded by ScreenSkills’ Animation Skills Fund, is a programme of free activities for 11–18-year-olds with a passion for creating animation. It’s an initiative aimed at discovering, nurturing and celebrating young talent across the UK.
A competition runs alongside and offers winning animators access to and advice from industry professionals and studios as well as seeing their film premiere at a special screening at the Manchester Animation Festival.
Following his win in 2020, Joshua Palfrey impressed the judges so much he was offered a traineeship at Blue Zoo Animation Studios, before landing a full-time role as 3D artist at the age of 18.
He said: “It was a surreal experience, walking into the studio for the first time and to be surrounded by people who all share the same interest in creating great content. Meeting all different types of people in the industry was exciting.”
Read more about Joshua’s story.
Luke Frampton, a winner last year with his 3D animation, Flight of the Odonates, recently secured a job at The Mill international animation studio.
On how the competition helped develop his career, he said: “YAY gave me with an opportunity that I hadn't really been able to take before. This competition provided a clear direction for a project that I was able to funnel my creative skills into. It allows inexperienced creators like me show off their skills as individual artists and gives fledgeling artists a chance to show the world their artistic identity.”
Applications for the next competition, split across six categories divided by age and animation styles, will be launched at this year’s British Animation Awards.
Games
A Careers in Games event at Leamington Spa (dubbed Silicon Spa due to its wealth of games studios) saw ScreenSkills join forces with Creative Futures and games industry partners to highlight career pathways for students and potential new entrants to the games sector.
The session featured masterclasses from industry professionals focused on what roles are available within the industry, how best to find them and saw the panel share their own career journeys and offer advice on CVs and building a portfolio.
Watch a recording of both masterclasses.
Free tickets are available to join the live stream for the next Careers in Games event in Dundee on 29 March where ScreenSkills are hosting an event in partnership with Into Games to explore the opportunities for those looking to start their career in the games industry.
Read more about the event and find details on how to book.
Events
Careers fairs and events allow the careers team to engage directly with prospective new entrants across the nations and region and highlight the opportunities available within the screen industries. Among the 70 events attended this year are:
RTS Careers Fair – a two-day event detailing the latest practical advice to help newcomers land their first job in TV.
UCAS fair – helping students choose the courses that will give them the best opportunity of being a success in the screen industries through one-to-one talks and an interactive workshop.
BBC Production unlocked – 711 attendees across six focused events centred on the crew behind the stories as well as production, pre-production and post-production roles.
Set Ready Cornwall – working with Screen Cornwall to explore the practicalities of working on set and offering those based in the area the chance to meet department heads, receive CV tips and do some networking.
Creative pathways: Cardiff – a careers fair for school children interested in a creative career.
The careers team have been involved with 330 events over the last three years involving 26,000 attendees.
ScreenSkills has worked with the BBC on Digital Cities since 2018, providing careers advice and guidance to attendees across the UK at in-person and virtual events. Events ranged from animation lessons for 11 year-olds in Bristol to a panel discussion with Game of Thrones production members in Belfast.
Over 3,000 people have attended face-to-face digital cities events with a further 2,778 joining the virtual events since 2020.
In March, ScreenSkills will be visiting Birmingham for the final digital cities events. Follow the ScreenSKills website for details on how to attend.
E-learning
A suite of e-learning modules were developed directly for those looking to make their first steps in the industry. Getting Into the Screen Industries offers advice across five key areas with each module lasting no longer than 15 minutes.