Release date 06 June 2012
The Design Council is backing Creative & Cultural Skills to connect industry and education through a new Skills Academy for the design sector, announced today by John Hayes, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning.
The Design Council will work closely with Creative & Cultural Skills to support development of the Skills Academy, sharing its resources and expertise, offer insight on emerging design practice and provide platforms for the design sector to debate and help steer the Academy’s priorities.
This initiative is part of Creative & Cultural Skills’ National Skills Academy which works in partnership with industry and education to deliver careers information, advice and guidance for young people; develop alternative entry routes into the creative industries; and provide high quality professional development.
Year one activity for the new Skills Academy for Design will kick off in in late 2012 with a new careers programme for young people considering a career in design, along with research and pilots looking at different routes into the sector.
Mat Hunter, Design Council’s Chief Design Officer, said “It’s really good news to see the Government show its support for the design industry through this investment. The Skills Academy will help ensure those who want to get into design and those already working in the sector receive the best guidance and training available. It is now down to designers and design businesses to get involved and make it happen.”
Creative & Cultural Skills is actively seeking partners in this new development project. Interested parties are invited to attend an open meeting at the Design Museum on 19 June. For further information please visit the Creative & Cultural Skills website.
Ends
Further information
For media enquiries please contact Tim Crowley, Head of Communications (Interim), Design Council on tim.crowley@designcouncil.org.uk or 020 74205200
Notes to editors
The Design Council enables people to use design to transform communities, business and the environment for the better.
As an enterprising charity, our work places design at the heart of creating value by stimulating innovation in business and public services, improving our built environment and tackling complex social issues.
We inspire new design thinking, encourage public debate and inform government policy to improve everyday life and help meet tomorrow’s challenges today.