More young people from working class backgrounds and underrepresented communities outside London are to be encouraged to explore a career in the creative industries.
We're thrilled to be working with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) alongside our partners at Creative UK to launch this large-scale awareness raising campaign, as we kick off Discover! Creative Careers Month across November.
The campaign aims to increase awareness, consideration and uptake of creative careers among young people aged 13-17 years old, as well as their parents and carers. It follows the publication of a new Government-commissioned report revealing that although nearly one in three (31%) of young people aged 11-18 years old express an interest in pursuing jobs in the creative industries, nearly half (49%) do not know what skills or qualifications are needed to work in the sector.
The campaign has been co-created and co-delivered with trade body CreativeUK and skills provider ScreenSkills (Discover! Creative Careers lead delivery partner). It is supported by organisations including Channel 4, Ubisoft, Netflix, National Youth Theatre, Co-op Live, UKMusic, WPP and UCAS.
Campaign ambassadors include former Coronation Street and Holby City star Angela Griffin, broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake, BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Deb Grant and TV producer Cameron Roach.
You can explore case studies linked to the campaign on the careers finder.
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.”
The campaign kicks off as Discover! Creative Careers Month rolls out across November with activities in England, Wales and Scotland. Across the month, hundreds of employers are offering inspiring events to thousands of young people, exposing them to the world of work in the creative industries.
Mary Rose, ScreenSkills' Programme Lead for Discover Creative Careers said:
“It is abundantly clear from this research and from our steering group partners that our industry-led programme is needed now more than ever. We have been thrilled to work collaboratively with our funders at DCMS and our steering group to continue to design a programme that supports the awareness and interest of young people and gives them a clearer path to follow into our vibrant creative industries. Earlier this year we set out ambitious plans to expand the Discover! Creative Careers programme; including a whole month of industry encounters, supported work experience and sector-based work academy programmes. We aim to reach over 100,000 students by March 2026.
“Our success has shown that strengthening connections between education and industry is essential to ensuring every young person has the chance to develop the skills our creative sectors need. This strength along with focused regional engagement, has seen Discover! Creative Careers build partnerships that support and expose young people to opportunities on their doorstep.”
Alongside the Discover! programme’s month of nationwide activities, the campaign prioritises six regions identified in the Government’s Industrial Strategy: Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East of England, West of England, West Midlands and West Yorkshire. These areas have growing creative sectors with businesses ranging from gaming studios to advertising agencies, and film production to digital marketing companies.
The campaign will demonstrate to young people of all backgrounds that their interests can be turned into creative careers, and showcase real-life, accessible pathways into these regional creative sectors. It will feature social media, online video and digital advertising on YouTube, Reddit, Meta, Snapchat, UCAS and games such as Minecraft, as well as across advertising spaces and screens in target regions.
The campaign also features a content series made with grassroots organisation Black Creative Trailblazers. The group will help to reach underrepresented communities in the creative industries by facilitating discussions within their network and increasing access to resources, showing young people how they can professionalise their passions.
The campaign is part of the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan which was announced in June alongside a £380 million investment package to drive innovation, regional growth and private investment in these high-growth sectors.
Sarah Gregory, Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Creative UK said:
“Creative UK is proud to partner with employers from across the breadth of the Creative and Cultural Industries to deliver this year’s expanded Discover Creative Careers Month and to engage young people from some of the UK’s least advantaged communities with the possibilities of a creative career.
“We are delighted to have this year’s activities elevated by a new DCMS funded communications campaign which has been supported by Creative UK and task & finish group members including the Advertising Association, WPP, Ubisoft, ScreenSkills, Ukie, Channel 4, PRS Foundation, IPA, BPI, and UK Music, along with JC Decaux, Outsmart and Discover Month partners to amplify positive messages about careers in our sector.”
Employers and individuals in the creative industries are encouraged to get behind the campaign. There are a range of ways to get involved from using existing social assets to creating your own - download the toolkit below.
It's also not too late to register for Discover! Creative Careers Month and deliver an inspiring encounter for a local school/college - find out more.