The UK government has launched a new campaign aimed at showcasing the wide breadth of roles available in the country’s creative industries to young people.
According to government research, nearly one in three (31 per cent) of young people aged 11-18 years old are interested in working in the creative industries, but nearly half (49 per cent) do not know what skills or qualifications are needed to work in the sector.
Other key findings from the research include:
- 23 per cent of young people aged 11-18 years old believe there are no jobs in the creative industries where they live
- 36 per cent of young respondents from a C2DE background feel there are no people like them in creative careers
- 16 per cent of 11-18 year olds said that they believed jobs in creative industries are only available in London
- 32 per cent of parents of 11-18 year olds think creative jobs are insecure, with this perception being more prevalent in target regions than London
- 50 per cent of young people aged 11-18 say creative jobs are “interesting” and 44 per cent say they “allow you to pursue your passion” – the top motivators for young people
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is launching the Discover! Creative Careers campaign to “increase awareness, consideration and uptake of creative careers” among young people aged 13-17 years old, as well as their parents and carers.
The campaign has been co-created and co-delivered with trade body CreativeUK and skills provider ScreenSkills, with supporters including Channel 4 and Netflix.
Speaking about the campaign, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “To keep the magic of our creative industries alive, we must nurture a new generation of talent by demystifying creative jobs and breaking down the barriers currently blocking young people from diverse backgrounds.
“Through this campaign, and as part of our Plan For Change, we will launch more young people into exciting creative careers in their communities–building skills, countering misconceptions and raising awareness about the opportunities available.”
