Creative Blueprint Summary Scotland

Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 Creative Blueprint Summary Scotland The Sector Skills Agreement for the creative and cultural industries June 2008 Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 Contents What is Creative & Cultural Skills? 4 What is the Creative Blueprint? 5 What did the research and consultation show? 5 Hot statistics 6 Five key challenges 6 Nine issues to be addressed 7 What does the Creative Blueprint say 9 should be done to help the creative and cultural industries in Scotland? 8 What is being done at the moment to 14 address these issues? 9 Why should all these actions be taken? 14 10 What will the future look like? 15 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 Introduction The Creative Blueprint is at the heart of everything we do. Employer-driven, this body of research and analysis is the most comprehensive and authoritative study ever undertaken of the creative and cultural industries: Advertising, Craft, Cultural Heritage, Design, Music, Performing Arts and Visual Arts. Tom Bewick, Chief Executive, Creative & Cultural Skills Crucially, the Creative Blueprint sets out an action plan, now and for the future for turning more of our creative talent into productive skills and jobs. By achieving these aims we will help make the UK the world’s creative hub. 02 03 Tom Bewick, Chief Executive, Creative & Cultural Skills John Stalker, Chief Executive, Festival City Theatres Trustee, Creative & Cultural Skills Chair, Scotland Employers’ Group Creative & Cultural Skills has set out a programme of action which has, as its long-term goal, the liberation of the employers within its industries to reach new markets and build their businesses for the future. This action plan acknowledges that it is the people employed in our businesses who can and will make the difference between appearing to be average, to being exceptional and world-class. It creates opportunities for those individuals, right across all our industries, to find the means to improve their skills and capabilities. John Stalker, Chief Executive, Festival City Theatres. Trustee, Creative & Cultural Skills Chair, Scotland Employers’ Group Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 The Creative Blueprint Scotland is a plan of action written by Creative & Cultural Skills in collaboration with employers, government and education. It considers how individuals either employed in, or running businesses in the creative and cultural industries, can access the training they need, find the job they want and employ skilled people who will be an asset to their business. Photo source: Dunblane Museum The full text of the Creative Blueprint Scotland can be found at: www.creative-choices.co.uk/blueprint 1 What is Creative & Cultural Skills? Creative & Cultural Skills is one of 25 Sector Skills Councils, set up to work with employers and education, so that employers can access the right training and skills to develop and sustain successful businesses. Creative & Cultural Skills covers the people in Scotland who work in these creative and cultural industries: • • • • • • • • Advertising Craft Cultural Heritage Design Literature Music Performing Arts Visual Arts These people may be running businesses which employ workers, or they may be practitioners – those who are freelance or self-employed. Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 2 What is the Creative Blueprint? The Creative Blueprint focuses on the industries that Creative & Cultural Skills represents in Scotland. It looks at the current situation and future needs, and outlines what should be done to improve the education, training and development of the workforce across these industries. The Creative Blueprint is based on research. Employers, practitioners, education providers, unions and others with an interest in these industries have been consulted. As a result the action plan aims to ensure that those involved in these highly creative industries will have the right skills to do their jobs, to contribute to the success of the businesses they work in and to Scotland’s prosperity. 3 What did the research and consultation show? The creative and cultural industries in Scotland have grown considerably over the last ten years and the research shows: • ost are small businesses, self-employed m practitioners or freelancers • here are gaps in the skills of those currently t employed • mployers find it difficult to recruit new staff e with the right skills • practitioners lack business skills • olunteering is often the only way to ‘get a foot v in the door’ • here are many courses available but people are t not clear about what course to take and what qualifications they need • many businesses do not have a training budget • here is little opportunity for ongoing learning t and development • ore leaders are needed in the industries m – people with the skills and vision to create success Photography by Victoria Cookson 04 05 Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 4 Hot statistics Scotland’s creative and cultural industries • 6,800 workers 3 • % of the UK’s creative and cultural workforce 7 • ,655 businesses 2 • ontributes £1.25bn GVA to the UK economy c • y 2014, 3,000 more jobs will be created, 25% b due to expansion • 2% have found difficulty with recruitment 1 Scotland’s education and training • % of UK Further and Higher Education provision 3 • 7,000 students 5 • 0% of industries have skills gaps 3 • 3% of employers do arrange training 2 • 9% of industries have no training budget 8 • % have a training budget of less than £1,000 4 per year 5 Five key challenges From the research and consultation, five key challenges have been identified which need to be addressed. These are: 1) Technical and specialist skills gaps 2) Higher skills needed in business and enterprise 3) Confusion about what training is available and what qualifications are needed 4) Workforce Diversity – there should be opportunities for everyone 5) Employers and practitioners need to commit to training and development Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 6 Nine issues to be addressed From these challenges, Creative & Cultural Skills identified nine issues that need to be addressed if the industries in Scotland are to thrive and succeed. These are: 1) Entry to industry People coming into the industries don’t know what skills they need. Career development is unclear or non-existent. Getting a job often depends on who you know rather than what you know, and sometimes the only way is to be a volunteer. 2) Management and leadership Management and leadership skills are needed to grow businesses and deal with new technologies and overseas competition. 3) Business skills and enterprise Planning, finance, marketing and other business skills are required, along with a need to be proactive and take a longer-term view of business development. For some industries there is a need to develop a more professional approach. 4) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Businesses and practitioners need to learn new skills and develop existing ones. 5) Diversity Scotland’s creative and cultural workforce has 20% more men than women and is predominantly white. Pay levels are low and progression uncertain. Source: Edinburgh Festival Theatre 06 07 Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 6) Qualification reform Employers say entrants lack the right skills and experience. There are many training courses available but it is unclear which qualifications are necessary. 7) Information, Advice and Guidance There is a lack of good information and advice about the potential range of occupations, what skills are needed and how careers might develop. Employers need more information on training, development and business support. 8) Creativity and culture in schools The value placed on creativity and culture in schools, the quality of teaching and the curriculum provided all affect the way young people’s skills develop, whether they go on to further education and whether they have the skills industry is looking for. There is concern in the industries about how these issues are addressed. 9) Industry intelligence and research There is little accurate, up-to-date or consistent information available about the creative and cultural industries in Scotland. For instance, Craft does not appear in Scottish statistics, although information is available from the Scottish Arts Council. Support organisations should be encouraged to co-ordinate their research programmes to create added value for the industries. All of these issues require long-term change and a variety of solutions. Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 7 What does the Creative Blueprint say should be done to help the creative and cultural industries in Scotland? There are ten programmes of action: 1) Creative Apprenticeships Creative Apprenticeships will be set up allowing people to work in the industries, be paid, and learn skills as they work. The Scotland Employers’ Group sees this as a priority. The benefits: • people learn appropriate, relevant skills • mployers train workers in the skills they need e • provides an alternative way into the industries 08 09 2) Technical Theatre Skills Academy A Technical Theatre Skills Academy for Scotland will be established to teach technical theatre skills, such as rigging, lighting and sound, set construction and wardrobe, and skills for handling live music performance. It will be linked with theatres across Scotland and host FE/HE courses in back stage technical theatre and live music skills. The benefits: • raining and experience in live music and t theatre surroundings • links with Creative Apprenticeships • meets future demand for stage technicians Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 3) Creative and Cultural Leadership Programme A Leadership Programme will be developed with the Scottish Leadership Foundation offering training for existing and developing leaders. This initiative is supported by the Scottish Arts Council in the form of a bursary for applicants, and Museums Galleries Scotland will offer support for their members who wish to participate. The benefits: • stablishes networks, mentors, action e learning and online tools • trengthens and increases long-term future s of the industries 4) Scotland Careers Strategy High quality information, advice and guidance on what careers are possible, what skills and qualifications are needed and how to find out more. A key element will be Creative Choices°, a web-based, online service offering information on training, jobs and skills, along with case studies of people already working in the cultural and creative industries. The benefits: • pecific careers advice for creative and s cultural industries • etails of all relevant training courses and d qualifications • individuals can make informed choices • research data about industries in the sector • eacher/industry exchange programmes, t student placements and taster days • orking with Skills Development Scotland, w Job Centre Plus and FE/HE careers services Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 5) Continuing Professional Development A programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) will be set up so that it becomes an integral part of the cultural and creative industries, allowing practitioners and employers to learn new skills and develop existing ones. The benefits: • emonstrates the value to the industries d of ongoing learning • keeps pace with change and innovation • upskilling’ and acknowledgement of volunteers ‘ • improves IT skills 10 11 6) UK Design Skills Alliance Setting up a UK Design Skills Alliance will help the Design industry improve links with industry and education, enabling training and development, and helping to professionalise the industry. The UK Design Skills Alliance partner in Scotland will be The Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture, Design and the City. The benefits: • aises the profile and importance of skills and r training for a successful Design industry • romotes the value of Design thinking for p industry in general • upports competing globally in a fasts changing business world Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 7) Business knowledge in creative courses Many industries in the sector are concerned about the lack of business knowledge and skills in creative courses and feel this should be part of the curriculum, especially when so many practitioners are self-employed or running small businesses. The benefits: • improves business success and survival rate • elps people understand how to make a living h from their creative skill • helps businesses compete and grow 8) Qualification Reform There are many courses available, but people are unclear about what course to take and exactly what qualifications are needed to succeed. Qualification Reform will help to increase students’ understanding, make sure that they have the right qualifications and that industry can get what it needs. The benefits: • clarity about skills and qualifications needed • ndustry gets people with the right i qualifications • elps to raise overall level of skills in the sector h Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 9) Diversity Black and Asian communities, women, disabled people and the socially and economically excluded in Scotland need more opportunities to work in the creative and cultural industries. Employers need to be made aware of this and access the wider pool of talent available. The benefits: • cultural awareness and understanding • orkforce reflects the demographics of w Scotland’s communities, which is important for business and audience development and participation • helps creative and cultural industries compete • akes industries more attractive to diverse m groups 12 13 10) Research Agenda The Creative Blueprint has, for the first time, published valuable information about the creative and cultural industries in Scotland in terms of what current and future skills are needed, what education is available and how the workforce is constituted. The Research programme is vital to building and keeping upto-date industry intelligence and evaluating the impact of Creative Blueprint. The benefits: • provides up-to-date industry information • shows the impact and results of actions • influences future policy • assesses the demand for skills Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 8 What is being done at the moment to address these issues? The Scottish Government’s Skills for Scotland – a Lifelong Skills Strategy (2007) provides the link for Creative Blueprint to the wider Scottish skills agenda. It includes, the need to highlight the demand for higher skills, to develop the workforce and to encourage skills development in schools. 9 Why should all these actions be taken? In Scotland the creative and cultural industries make an important contribution to our economy and to the quality of life in our increasingly diverse society. Providing good skills and developing the workforce will help our creative and cultural industries be successful and to grow further. The Creative Blueprint’s action plan will support this and is aligned with wider Scottish economic, education and skills, and cultural policy. Creative Blueprint Scotland 2008 10 What will the future look like? Creative Apprentices will have learned vital skills and will go on to run their own businesses or work in others’, as well as acting as mentors to those who are still learning. The online Creative Choices° service will provide worldwide connections along with quality information and advice, and the Technical Theatre Skills Academy will welcome students from across Europe. Through partnerships between employers and education, the workforce will be able to update their creative, business and leadership skills, and contribute to teaching and developing creative courses. Innovation and business development will increase and the number of creative and cultural businesses will grow and attract investment. Future success will be built on establishing a skilled, diverse and high-quality creative and cultural workforce. The Creative Blueprint Scotland shows how this can be achieved. Full reports of Creative Blueprints for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland and summaries are available at www.creative-choices. co.uk/blueprint 14 15 Photo source: Summerlee Heritage Park Scotland and Northern Ireland Office 28 Castle Street Edinburgh EH2 3HT T (0131) 225 8125 E info@ccskills.org.uk London Office Lafone House The Leathermarket Weston Street London SE1 3HN T (020) 7015 1800 E info@ccskills.org.uk Wales Office Creative Business Wales 33-35 West Bute Street Cardiff Bay CF10 5LH T (029) 2049 6826 E info@ccskills.org.uk www.ccskills.org.uk