Discover! Creative Careers Week launches

A major new initiative is to be launched to encourage young people to consider a career in the creative industries. Discover! Creative Careers Week has been backed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in England through the Creative Careers Programme and is designed to find and encourage new, diverse talent for the country’s booming creative industries. As statistics show, the creative industries are one of the country’s fastest growing business sectors, growing at twice the national rate, and now accounts for more than 6% of all jobs in the UK according to new government data.

The nationwide programme of events runs from 18^th to 22^nd November, and is designed to showcase the broad spectrum of careers to be pursued in the creative industries, opening students’ eyes to industries and jobs they may not have known about or considered.

During the week, young people will get to learn about animation with the creators of Peppa Pig, go back stage at the National Theatre, use interactive 3D computer modelling with XSite Architecture in Newcastle, explore individual career paths by interviewing the team at Tate Liverpool, get a taste of the world of publishing with Hachette, and understand how a film is promoted and distributed with Sony. From fashion design with Burberry in Yorkshire to game design with SEGA in the South West, and more than 20 National Trust properties up and down the country taking part, students from schools across England will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experiences in job roles that many haven’t even heard of.

“I think it is great that the biggest names in the creative industry are opening their doors for students as part of Discover! Week. When our students get to experience the workplace and engage with employers first hand – you see a real positive effect on their development as young industry professionals. They become more inspired, engaged and focused to the world of work and all this helps them to prepare for life after their school days – whatever their chosen career.” said Jonathan Jacob, Head of External Relations and Careers at Global Academy.