Creative & Cultural Skills’ new Skills Academy for Design is here to nurture future design talent and strengthen the design sector.
Along with 11 other organisations nation-wide, we’re kick-starting the new Academy by engaging with designers, design businesses, young people, education providers and appointing our own Skills Ambassador.
What is a Skills Academy?
A Skills Academy is a national network of people and organisations committed to skills and training in a specific sector. It’s a way for employers and practitioners to strengthen their skills base - by joining the Academy you can become a representative voice for your industry, highlighting skills gaps and raising standards. You can also engage with young people in order to put something back - supporting the next generation of talent.
The Skills Academy network of education and industry partners has been working together since 2008 (in live music and theatre sectors), and in that time has benefitted over a million people directly and online through its careers programme and created over 1,000 jobs for young people as part of its apprenticeships programme.
The Skills Academy for Design has three main areas of focus
Tools and training
Enabling design sector employers and employees, freelancers and sole traders, to access the best tools and training to support their growth, is a key part of the Academy offer. It will pilot the development of new professional standards and enhance provision of professional development for those working in the industry.
Entry routes
We need to open up alternative entry routes into the industry to access new talent – supporting fair access and helping to find viable alternatives to the culture of unpaid internships.
Work needs to be done to think about new approaches which are fit for purpose and sustainable, so Creative & Cultural Skills will undertake an in-depth investigation into a ‘Year in Industry’ programme.
Careers advice
The Academy wants to ensure that every young person in the UK has access to design sector-endorsed information, advice and guidance, helping them to make the best choices about their futures
It will develop new careers programmes for young people wishing to enter the design industry, including a 'Get Into Design' website and live career events. It will help grow the Sorrell Foundation's Art & Design Saturday Club and support other high quality design career programmes - get in touch if you’d like your programme to be part of the Academy's offer.
Industry commitment
Creative & Cultural Skills also intend that the Skills Academy for Design will act as a catalyst for the design industry to invest in skills and training. Since 2008, the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural has leveraged over £7 million investment in wages that otherwise would never have happened, and they want to achieve something similar in design, revolutionising education and training within the sector.
How can I be a part of it?
- If you’re a designer/design business… that believes in skills and wants your voice heard simply register your interest via the contact box below and our Skills Ambassador, Bel Reed, will get in touch.
- If you’re a young person (up to 24 years old)… and you’re interested in finding out more about a career in design leave your details below and we’ll let you know about any opportunities coming up in your area (If you are under 18, please seek permission from your parent/guardian before submitting your details).
- If you’re an education/training provider… and believe you have a strong offer for those interested in a design career please leave your details below and Bel Reed, our Skills Ambassador, will get in touch to discuss your suitability.
Events
We will be kicking off the New Year with a series of events (Inspire + Connect) on some of the issues discussed above. Please use the form below if you'd like to be kept informed about these and other Skills Academy opportunities.
Register your interest