Enhancing work opportunities and career advancement for youth in the film, television, and gaming industries
In a groundbreaking report, researchers from Work Advance, funded by Creative PEC and Mission 44, have highlighted the key challenges faced by disadvantaged young people in accessing good jobs and career opportunities within the UK's Film, TV, Radio, and Games Industries.
The report, penned by author Aline Collins and associates Dan Wilks and Lesley Giles, does not discuss the current landscape of support for disadvantaged young people in these industries. Instead, it focuses on the structural funding challenges, lack of targeted investment readiness support, systemic underrepresentation, and trust gaps between creative businesses and financiers that hinder these young talents.
The worldwide exports of creative goods exceeded 500 billion USD in 2015, with a 150% increase since 2000. However, this growth has not been equitably distributed, with persistent difficulty in securing finance for creative ventures and underrepresentation of marginalized groups, particularly women and ethnic minorities, especially in senior roles.
To address these issues, the report presents nine recommendations for the screen and games industries and policymakers. These include expanding investment readiness support for underrepresented founders and young creatives, fostering systemic change through collaboration, increasing mentoring and support schemes, addressing regulatory and compliance burdens, and encouraging transparent and equitable remuneration frameworks.
One of the concerns raised by the researchers is that new Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) schemes, regardless of good intentions, may add to a crowded set of interventions. Nevertheless, the report urges urgent, integrated action to lower financial, structural, and cultural barriers to enable disadvantaged young people to access meaningful, well-paid career opportunities and progression pathways.
The report also details the results of a survey of employers commissioned by the Creative Industries Council regarding the migrant and skills needs of creative businesses in the UK. Approximately 200 EDI schemes exist across the creative industries, with 118 focused on the screen sector.
Despite the numerous schemes, the report emphasizes the need for a rethinking of the way support is offered to young people. It seeks to explore the definition of 'good jobs' within these sectors, the accessibility of these opportunities for disadvantaged young people, and the barriers they face.
Heather Carey, the Director of Work Advance, is also associated with the report. However, it does not focus on overseas mergers and acquisitions on the UK video games industry or post-Brexit migration and accessing foreign talent in the Creative Industries.
- The Arts and Education-and-self-development sectors should prioritize skills training for disadvantaged young people, preparing them for opportunities in the Film, TV, Radio, and Games Industries.
- The lack of targeted investment readiness support for underrepresented founders and young creatives in the creative industries is a significant barrier to career development.
- The report suggests that creativity can play a crucial role in Career-development, particularly for disadvantaged young people, by offering potential paths to well-paid, meaningful careers in various industries.
- Despite the growth in the worldwide exports of creative goods, there remains an Economy-oriented issue in securing finance for creative ventures and underrepresentation of marginalized groups, especially in senior roles within the Creative Industries.
- The report calls for a shift in the approach to supporting disadvantaged young people, emphasizing the need to focus on Research and systemic change rather than just providing skills training.
- Data on the migrant and skills needs of creative businesses in the UK, as gathered in the survey commissioned by the Creative Industries Council, can guide policymakers in implementing effective Skills-training programs.
- Urgent, integrated action is needed to close the Evidence-based gaps in Finance, structure, and culture that hinder disadvantaged young people from accessing good jobs and career opportunities within the Creative Industries.
- Technology can play a significant role in streamlining the job-search process and connecting disadvantaged young people with potential employers in the Creative Industries.
- The report raises concerns that new Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) schemes may add to the crowding of interventions but still urges their implementation to promote a more inclusive and equitable Lifestyle in the Creative Industries.
- The report is a valuable source of evidence for policymakers working in Entertainment and General-news, offering insights into the challenges faced by disadvantaged young people in accessing career opportunities within the Creative Industries.
- The UK's Film, TV, Radio, and Games Industries can benefit from an increase in mentoring and support schemes for underrepresented young talents, fostering collaboration and promoting a more inclusive and equitable Business environment.
