"...exposure allows them to consider careers they may not have previously imagined, expanding their aspirations significantly."
Coventry Cultural Education Partnership (CCEP) hosted a dynamic creative careers event tailored specifically for Key Stage 3 students. This collaborative initiative between arts and cultural organisations aimed to broaden students' perspectives on the diverse and exciting career opportunities available within the creative industry. Working with Coventry Transport Museum, Herbert Art Gallery & Belgrade Theatre.
Overview
The CCEP is an active partnership of teachers, artists, practitioners and cultural organisations that carry a shared vision for every child and young person in Coventry to have the opportunity to experience cultural learning activities that enable them to flourish, thrive and be optimistic about their futures. Our Mission is to create more opportunities for Coventry’s learning and cultural sectors to work together, improve the quality of activity and extend the reach and impact of cultural learning for all children and young people. This is guided by the CCEP Three-year strategy, which links to Coventry’s wider cultural strategy and One Coventry agreements.
The Coventry Cultural Strategy 2017 – 2027, has been funded by Coventry City Council and Arts Council England and was written with support from the University of Warwick and Coventry University.
The Creative Careers event brought together 16 supporting partners and organisations, including library services, film industries, performing arts organisations, visual arts, local authors, heritage venues and many more. It was hosted as a multi-venue event, where students had the opportunity to visit four city centre cultural venues; Coventry Transport Museum, the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry Archives and the Belgrade Theatre across the day. This helped to add variety to the day for the students, whilst making the most of their time out of the classroom to experience a wide range of creative destinations.
The event featured a range of activities designed to engage young minds and ignite their passion for arts, design, media, and other creative fields. Students had the chance to interact with industry professionals through the careers marketplace, participate in workshops, and explore various career paths that they may not have previously considered. Across the day, students participated in portfolio best practice workshops, inclusive dance workshops, VR experiences and job application best practice talks.
When identifying the audience for the event, it was purposely aimed at key stage 3 students to capture teenagers before they selected their GSCE options, with the aim that through the encounters with a wide range of creative industries, this could potentially support students to opt for creative subjects as they progressed into Key Stage 4.
Participants gained valuable insights into the skills and qualifications needed to pursue different creative careers, helping to equip them with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their futures. This initiative was not just about showcasing job opportunities; it was about inspiring the next generation of creative thinkers and innovators.
Number of young people reached:
95
Advice for similar companies/organisations:
Collaborative working has been a key factor in the success of this event. Undertaking a careers event that involves workshops, careers stalls, and movement between venues needs to have buy in from like-minded organisations who carry the same strategic goals for engagement with young people across creative industries. Reaching out to close networks and encouraging them to get involved and seek further support on your behalf will grow your programmes and foster new relationships that can build on future events.
Can you tell us why you believe it’s important for industry to get directly involved in inspiring and informing young people about careers in the creative industries through projects like Discover?
Engaging students in arts and culture settings not only enhances their creativity and critical thinking skills but also plays a crucial role in influencing their career choices. Arts and culture engagement exposes students to a wide range of careers beyond the traditional routes. From visual arts to performing arts, and from cultural administration to arts education, students can learn about various fields that might align with their interests. This exposure allows them to consider careers they may not have previously imagined, expanding their aspirations significantly. Arts and Culture settings can provide students with unique access to first hand experiences, from those working in the sector and reveal their routes into creative careers.
