Creative Skillset

Creative Skillset is the Sector Skills Council which supports skills and training for people and businesses to ensure the UK creative industries stay competitive and productive.

History

It was founded 1992 and is jointly funded by industry and government. In April 2010, SkillFast, the former sector skills council for fashion became part of SkillSet.

As of 1 April 2012 the organisation changed its name from Skillset to Creative Skillset to better reflect the work it does with 65% of the UK's creative industries.

Structure

The head office is based just to the east of London King's Cross railway station, on the western edge of the London Borough of Islington.

The industries covered include:

  • Advertising
  • Animation
  • Computer games
  • Facilities
  • Fashion and textiles
  • Film
  • Other content creation (such as pop promos and corporate production)
  • Interactive media
  • Photo imaging
  • Publishing
  • Radio
  • Television

Regions

Other offices include

  • Creative Skillset North, Round Foundry Media Centre, Foundry Street, Leeds
  • Creative Skillset Cymru, 33-35 West Bute Street, Cardiff, CF10 5LH
  • Creative Skillset Scotland, 249 West George Street, Glasgow, G2 4QE
  • Creative Skillset Norther Ireland, 3rd Floor Alfred House, 21 Alfred Street, Belfast BT2 8ED

Function

Creative Skillset is a strategic organisation meaning that they develop and fund skills solutions as opposed to delivering them directly.

Creative Skillset's main purpose covers three main areas:

  • Firstly, to research where the skills gaps and shortages exist within the creative media industries, then raise funding from the industry and Government to deliver solutions to address these problems.
  • Secondly, to inform and influence training provision and qualification development for the competitive benefit of the creative industries.
  • Lastly, to ensure those entering the industry are well prepared by realistic careers information and advice and that those in the industry are able to update and develop their skills throughout their careers.

Their work can be subdivided as follows:

  • Careers
  • Courses
  • Company Support
  • Standards
  • Qualifications
  • Research
  • Strategy
  • Funding

Creative Skillset undertake this work across all the Nations and Regions of the UK.

Creative Skillset Academy Network

The Creative Skillset Academy Network is a grouping of colleges, universities and other institutions designated as Media Academies and Film Academies for excellence and quality for education and skills training in television, interactive media and film. Accredited academies include:

Academy

Institution(s)

University of Abertay Dundee Skillset Media Academy

University of Abertay

Birmingham City University Skillset Media Academy

Birmingham City University

Bournemouth Skillset Media Academy

The Arts University Bournemouth
Bournemouth University

Central Saint Martins Skillset Media Academy

Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (University of the Arts London)

Cornwall Skillset Media Academy

Cornwall College
Truro College
University College Falmouth

Creative Loop Skillset Media Academy, Scotland

Aberdeen College
Adam Smith College
Cardonald College
Dundee College
Perth College
Reid Kerr College

Edinburgh Skillset Film and Media Academy

Edinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh Napier University

Goldsmiths, University of London Skillset Media Academy

Documentary Filmmakers Group
Goldsmiths, University of London
Hi8us
London Film Academy

Hertfordshire Skillset Media Academy

The Film & Digital Media Exchange
University of Hertfordshire
West Herts College

Liverpool John Moores Skillset Media Academy

Liverpool Community College
Liverpool John Moores University

London Film School, A Skillset Film Academy

Middlesex Skillset Media Academy –

Middlesex University
SAE Institute
Top TV Academy

National Film and Television School, A Skillset Film and Media Academy

North by Southwest: The Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Skillset Media Academy

Cirencester College
Gloucestershire College
University of Gloucestershire
Wiltshire College

Northern Ireland Skillset Media Academy

Belfast Metropolitan College
North West Regional College
Southern Regional College
University of Ulster at Coleraine

Nottingham Skillset Media Academy

Broadway Cinema & Media Centre
Confetti
New College Nottingham
Nottingham Trent University

Ravensbourne Skillset Media Academy

01zero-one (Westminster Kingsway College)
Cass Business School
Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication

Salford University Skillset Media Academy

People's Voice Media
University of Salford

Southampton Solent Skillset Media Academy

Southampton Solent University

University of Teesside Skillset Media Academy

University of Teesside

Skillset Media Academy Wales

Department of Theatre, Film & TV, Aberystwyth University
School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, Cardiff University
School of Creative and Cultural Industries, University of Glamorgan
School of Art, Media and Design, University of Wales, Newport

University of the West of Scotland Skillset Media Academy

University of the West of Scotland

Westminster Skillset Media Academy

City of Westminster College
University of Westminster

Yorkshire and Humber Skillset Media Academy

University of Bradford
East Coast Media at Grimsby Institute

Establishing the Creative Skillset Film and Media Academies

The Creative Skillset Film and Media Academies were established in response to the film, television and interactive media industries' desire to develop lasting partnerships with further and higher education institutions. The Academies seek to provide an answer to industries need for fresh talent and innovation.

The Academies were selected through a rigorous application and evaluation processes, assessed by industry evaluators. The original selection was overseen by a high level panel chaired by Greg Dyke and included Andrew Chitty (Illumina Digital), Clive Jones (GMTV), Jo Taylor (Channel 4) and Caroline Prendergast (BBC).

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