Employers in the creative industries' evaluations of skill-building initiatives set for 2025
In a recent report published by Creative PEC, Lesley Giles and Heather Carey of Work Advance detail the challenges facing the recruitment and training of older workers (aged 50+) and apprenticeships in the United Kingdom's creative industries.
The findings reveal that creative industries recruit both young people (under 25) and older workers at a lower rate compared to other sectors. Employers tend to favour middle-aged workers (25-49 years old), with older workers being less likely to be recruited, despite 93% of creative employers reporting they were satisfied with the work readiness of those older hires when they occurred.
Apprenticeships are underutilized in the creative industries. Only 5% of creative employers currently have apprentices, a figure well below the national average. Moreover, 63% of creative employers indicated they are unlikely to use apprenticeships in the future, higher than the 57% across the wider economy.
The sector faces significant barriers for effective apprenticeship uptake, including high delivery costs for small firms, inflexible duration requirements, and a limited market for specialized training providers. The project-based and freelance nature of much creative work clashes with traditional apprenticeship and training structures.
The creative workforce strongly emphasizes higher education qualifications, with about 69% holding a degree or equivalent. This reflects a preference or structural tendency away from vocational routes like apprenticeships.
To address these challenges, the report recommends broadening entry routes and vocational/technical pathways to improve inclusion across age groups. Successful employers providing work experience to diverse age groups could be models for broader adoption. Programs such as the Youth Guarantee in England and similar initiatives in Scotland and Wales could help connect potential older and diverse workers with creative firms. More flexible and portable apprenticeship models tailored to the sector’s nature are under development.
Despite just over a fifth (22%) of creative industries employers having recruited HE leavers compared to 14% across all sectors, creative industries employers report that 21% of graduates recruited are not adequately prepared for the role. Awareness of apprenticeships is nearly universal in the creative industries, but detailed understanding is limited.
The report, titled "Creative industries employers' perspectives on skills initiatives: 2025," is available for subsequent research and publications via this DOI link: 10.5281/zenodo.15730438.
The report was authored by Lesley Giles, Director of Work Advance, and Heather Carey, Director of Work Advance. The report design was done by Mike Green/Green Doe Ltd., and it was edited and proofread by Creative PEC's policy, operations, and communications teams. The report was published in 2025 by Creative PEC.
- Despite 93% of creative employers expressing satisfaction with the work readiness of older hires, employers in the creative industries struggle to recruit older workers and apprentices at a rate comparable to other sectors.
- The findings of the report published by Creative PEC indicate that employers in the creative sectors prefer middle-aged workers, with older workers being less likely to be recruited.
- Apprenticeships are underutilized in the creative industries, with only 5% of creative employers currently having apprentices, a figure significantly lower than the national average.
- A significant barrier for effective apprenticeship uptake in the creative industries is the high delivery costs for small firms, Along with inflexible duration requirements and a limited market for specialized training providers.
- The report recommends broadening entry routes and vocational/technical pathways to improve inclusion across age groups, citing successful employers who provide work experience to diverse age groups as potential models.
- Programs like the Youth Guarantee in England, Scotland, and Wales could help connect potential older and diverse workers with creative firms, enhancing the diversity of the creative workforce.
- The sector's project-based and freelance nature clashes with traditional apprenticeship and training structures, necessitating more flexible and portable apprenticeship models tailored to the creative industry's unique needs.
- Approximately 69% of the creative workforce holds a degree or equivalent, indicating a preference or structural tendency away from vocational routes like apprenticeships.
- The report, titled "Creative industries employers' perspectives on skills initiatives: 2025," offers insights into the challenges facing the recruitment and training of older workers and apprenticeships in the creative industries, addressing topics such as education, talent development, economy, finance, and internationalization.
