Working together to develop the current and future skills of the sector.
Connecting for success
Creative and Digital West of England Local Sector
Skills Statement 2018
Local Sector Skills Statements provide up-to-date market
intelligence from industry sectors; celebrating the notable
achievements and expertise of businesses and education in the
region compared to regional and national policy and research.
They provide insights into: the skills challenges faced by
businesses in 2017, possible solutions, and potential partnerships
for stakeholders to collaborate in the region. The reports inform
key priorities for: investment in training, education, careers
advice and professional development in the West of England.
Produced and written by Business West
Business West is working in partnership with the West of England Combined Authority, West of England LEP and the region’s universities
and colleges through the Western Training Provider Network. The intelligence gathered feeds into the West of England skills strategy.
Creative and Digital Local Sector Skills Statement 2018
The creative and digital sector in the West of
England is renowned for its world class pioneering
work with global expertise across: animation, natural
history production, VR/AR, digital publishing and
software development.
Some of the UK’s most highly respected and award-
winning businesses started in the West including:
Aardman Animations, BBC Natural History Unit, the
Yogscast, IMDb, Icon Films, Future Publishing and
Nomensa. Bristol and Bath has also attracted many
major international and national companies locating
their head offices in the city, particularly where they
can get access to a digital talent base.
Research by Tech Nation 2018, the UK government-
backed organisation which helps to promote the
growth of the digital tech sector, reveals that the
average turnover per worker in Bristol and Bath
technology companies (£320,000) is greater than
both Reading (£234,000) and London (£201,000)
making it the most productive technology region
in the UK. It is estimated that there are over 19,000
jobs in the West of England, which is 11% over the
national average for this sector. (7)
Accessing the right talent is important, the recent
Creative Industries Federation Report stating that
creative occupations will grow by 5.3% over the
The creative and digital industry continues to put the West of England firmly on the map and it is widely recognised as having two of the nine creative centres outside of London (1). Nationally, this sector contributes £9.8bn(1) GVA with a key hub in Bristol & Bath.
% of Total Jobs in Industry Group (2017)
Source: (7) Data provided by Emsi - economic modelling 2018
5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 40.0%0.0%
35.0%
2.7%
7.4%
7.2%
6.9%
5.2%
3.9%
3.9%
2.8%
16.9%
8.2%
Other (inc. Managers & Proprietors, Draughtspersons & Related Architectural Technicians, Production Managers...)
Business, Research and Administrative Professionals
Information Technology and Telecommunications Professionals
Sales, Marketing and Related Associate Professionals
Media Professionals
Functional Managers and Directors
Artistic, Literary and Media Occupations
Architects, Town Planners and Surveyors
Printing Trades
Design Occupations
Other Administrative Occupations
next six years, double the UK economy average.
This encouraging backdrop of growth is tempered
by challenges as wide ranging as: Brexit (30%
of the animation talent base are E.U. nationals),
wage inflation for hard to reach talent and rapidly
changing environments for subsectors as diverse as
High End Television, software and digital publishing.
In this swiftly changing environment, leaders will
need to ensure they are engaging talent at all levels
of the business and creating the environments that
will inspire creativity and collaboration to capitalise
on new opportunities and remain dynamic in the
global market. With low unemployment in the
region, businesses should look to identify and
develop their existing workforce in order to address
future skills challenges; our survey showed only 7.2%
of businesses know they can use apprenticeships for
upskilling of talent so there is still a way to go.
Skills West industry workshops have also repeatedly
demonstrated the need for businesses and
education to be better connected and the value of
industry placements for young people. There are
encouraging signs of this beginning to happen with
projects such as the Bristol VR lab, Immersive Lab,
Engine Shed on tour and at the Bottle Yard (now the
3rd largest production space outside London) but
more activity is required.
The Bottle Yard Studios continues to grow and
develop attracting high-profile projects. Crew
levels are a challenge, especially for 2018-19 with
a number of productions coming into the West.
Wales also continues to need to bolster crew levels
from Bristol crew base, having incentivised large
scale dramas to base there, so the skills challenge is
becoming a South West issue.
This document gives a snapshot of the West of England’s
latest creative and digital talent pool, challenges
to be overcome and activity which is happening to
build a sustainable workforce for the future.
The profile of the region as a key UK centre for
creative production is growing, underpinned by a
strong cultural sector. The differentiating factor is
the combination of Creative and Technology as
“CreaTech”, and the concentration of companies
and entities in the city centres of Bristol and
Bath, plus the development of cluster in North
Somerset at Weston. The sector is dominated
by microbusinesses, so the development of new
pathways to employment starting in Secondary
School remains an issue, but is being addressed
both locally and nationally, with the Creative
Industries Sector Deal defining a Creative Careers
Campaign that will be developed by the Creative
Industries Federation, outreach programmes
being developed by the local universities, and the
continuing development of the SWIFT campus
at Weston College. Both the West of England
Combined Authority and Marvin Rees, Mayor of
Bristol are working directly with the sector on new
initiatives including the BAME 100 and the “Our
City” film competition. And the West of England
Combined Authority’s new digital ambition for the
region will be core to the local industrial strategy,
with the ambition to become the leading smart
region in the UK.
Key Facts A summary of key facts both locally and nationally in this sector
57% of businesses filling out the Business West Skills and Training Survey 2017 currently export their products or services internationally, which is higher than the national average.(6)
Skills West brokered 595 creative and digital employment pledges including careers talks, panels and internships, which illustrates the willingness of the sector to engage with the right mechanism for assessing and delivering apprentices into the workplace, and the recognition that small companies are learning entities in their own right.
The 5 most important skills needed by businesses are: communication; problem solving; numeracy; team working and customer service.(6)
There are 344,000 people employed in creative and digital industries in the South West making up 12.3% of all the creative jobs in the UK (2). They make up a GVA of almost £12bn in Creative, Digital Cultural and Telecoms sectors. (3)
66% of businesses offered training to their staff in 2017. Only 16% feel colleges and universities match their business needs, as employees are generally university-educated. There has been an increase in the amount of in-house training as more businesses cite cost/lack of budget as a reason to not commission external training. (6)
66% of businesses in the cluster employ less than 10 people and 91% have a salary bill of less than £3million so are exempt from the apprenticeship levy.
Figures for new Apprenticeship starts remains stagnant at just over 1% across the South West. (4)
High-level skills required; resilience, self-direction, team working and communication skills.
In 2017 44% of businesses advertised vacancies in the cluster, whilst in the next 12 months 94% expect to remain the same size or grow. 2.3% of businesses expect to get smaller this coming year.(6)
Creative and digital businesses in the West of England are predominantly SMEs (89% under 49 staff).
89%
Notable Achievements Local Sector Skills Achievements in 2017
Bath Digital Festival 2017 ran over six days with 85 events and over 2,500 attendees.
The Stable Creative Hub, the first co-working space for creatives opened up in Weston, North Somerset.
In February 2018 SETsquared (the partnership of the universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey), with bases in Bristol and Bath, was ranked as the top university business incubator in the world.
Skills West hosted a number of industry events in partnership with TechSPARK and at Oi Conference, covering topics such as: the Impact of Data in your Business and the Impact of AI on Talent.
Skills West held an industry roundtable breakfast, in partnership with Creative Bath and City of Bath College: ‘What skills do education providers need to be teaching in order to develop competent, work-ready students?’.
Digital Bristol Week - October 2017, Skills West hosted free events designed to help businesses face a competitive digital future. 200+ people signed up for the events, which included: Open Doors, Google Digital Garage and skills Advice Clinics
TechSPARK launched SHIFT, a programme working with under-represented talent to empower and amplify their voices. Through training, networking and events the participants are supported to speak at major conferences, act as mentors and become board members.
Social Media Week Bristol returned in Feb 2018 with 40 events and over 50 speakers for a week of exciting talks, workshops and panels across the city.
Bristol named a UNESCO City of Film. The bid included input from Watershed, Knowle West Media Centre, Calling The Shots, Aardman Animations, BBC Bristol, Encounters Festival, Bristol Festivals and many more.
Creative Bath have launched the Creative Bath Awards which celebrates creativity in Bath and surrounding areas. Over 180 nominations were received from creatives in the region in 2017.
Bristol Royal Television Society held its annual Futures Fair at Watershed, with the support of 12 local independent production and post production companies providing one-to-one meetings, masterclasses and panels. More than 140 students and young people signed up.
The Bottle Yard Studios continues to grow and develop, attracting high-profile projects as well as more permanent tenants. Highlights since summer 2017 include; 2 feature films (The High Window, Hellboy 3), Poldark 4 and Sky Atlantic’s Fortitude.
The Sector Deal with the Creative Industries was published in March 2018 including a programme managed by AHRC for research into clusters. The Bristol Cluster bid led by Professor Jonathan Dovey of UWE.
Bristol VR lab opened, offering a shared workspace to research and develop Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality technology, applications and projects. Partners include: University of Bristol, University of the West of England, Watershed, Opposable Group, Bath Spa University and the BBC.
Skills West supported education providers at a series of events aimed at young people and careers advisers to inform of the sector challenges, needs and landscape. These included the Pathways to Professions advice events, Ambitions+ at SGS College, Bath College Careers Fair, sector-based talks to students at SGS College and dissemination of the local sector skills statements to all colleges in the region.
Bristol Media held the 6th very successful Vision Conference for the creative sector in November 2017 with over 300 delegates attending. They remain active on social media with 32,000 followers on Twitter.
The Bristol & Bath Cultural Destinations project received additional funding from Arts Council England, and is developing Media Bank as part of the project, funded through the West of England LEP.
Skills Priorities for 2018 Priority One
Issue
According to the 2018 Creative Industries Federation Report, by 2024 creative occupations will grow by 5.3%. That is double the projected job growth across the UK economy and an additional 119,495 creative jobs. Nesta’s analysis suggests that with proper investment, the UK could create as many as 1 million new creative jobs by 2030. UK labour market projections show that the rate of growth for both creative and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) occupations will be more than double the average job growth across the whole UK economy. This positive news, however, is not reflected in education. In 2017, entries for GCSEs in creative subjects fell by 47,000 and current entry rates to creative subjects at Key Stage 4 have fallen to the lowest in a decade. Nationally and locally there is need for both better sign posting of qualification routes and soft skills. The Business West Skills and Training Survey 2017 reiterates that building a network both in person and digitally is the most effective way to find a role. The top three recruitment methods are social media (54% of firms), the company’s own website (44%) and word of mouth (36%). This is compared with only 28% using recruitment agencies.
Objectives
Work with industry and the industry networks/bodies to provide current information on the labour market
and careers pathways into the sector that can be shared with schools and further and higher education,
using existing platforms such as Careers Pilot and Careers Near Here.
Encourage CPD and better quality work placements for all ages by working with industry led schemes
and assets in the region such as Bottle Yard and Engine Shed on tour through Skills West ‘Employability’
Programme.
Enable more access to industry specific careers fairs and pathway to professions like: RTS’ Futures Fair,
Social Media week and careers elements of Bristol Digital Week and Bath Digital Festival.
Continue to work with the National Careers Service contract holder and Careers Enterprise Network
Advisers to further develop and improve Labour Market Intelligence (LMI) and ensure that materials are
available to support on-the-ground careers advice and guidance for practitioners as well as careers
advisers.
Improve Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG)
• Reflecting on how the objectives in this section can address equality and diversity.
Skills Priorities for 2018 Priority Two
Issue
Businesses still report considerable challenges, with 43% in the Business West Skills and Training Survey 2017, stating they struggle to fill vacancies, with skilled technical roles (at 69%) being the most challenging. Businesses report the reasons for this being predominantly around a lack of applicants with the right qualifications, experience or motivation.
With reference to education provision, in the same survey only 16% of businesses feel courses meet their needs so clearly there is still work to be done to link education provision to the needs of businesses.
Objectives
Education and Skills West to explore what specific technical skills are required by the creative and digital
sector that are critical to support growth.
Encourage more employers from the sector to become involved in the co-design of qualifications and
training provision through Skills West programmes and engaging with education directly.
Work with Skills West, Western Training Provider Network and cluster organisations to bring together
industry and education to better inform of the sector challenges, needs and landscape.
Education to raise the awareness of apprenticeship reforms and the support available to businesses
financially to encourage greater take up of local provision. Maintain a close relationship with Creative
Industries Federation on the development of the Creative Careers Campaign for school pupils pre-GCSE.
Improve the quality and responsiveness of local education and training
provision.
Issue
Apprenticeship starts both locally and nationally remain low despite the introduction of new standards, an increase in the types of training and the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in May 2017.
Although almost 40% of businesses offered apprenticeship roles in the last 12 months the Business West Skills and Training Survey 2017 showed only 16% of businesses feel the courses on offer from education providers meet their needs. Last year, across the South West, there were 4,770 apprenticeship starts which is a 1% increase on the previous year, indicating the challenge of growing apprenticeships in the cluster and again raises the question is the current Apprenticeship model the right one for the sector. (4)
Objectives
Consider different models of apprenticeship delivery and funding (for example through the sharing
of larger firm’s apprenticeship levy funds) to increase take up. This matches a commitment from UK
Government in the Creative Industries Sector Deal to “monitor the impact of the Apprenticeship Levy”.
Increase partnerships with: industry, networks, further and higher education to ensure high quality and
relevant apprenticeships and higher apprenticeships suitable for business needs.
Provide clear, accessible apprenticeship advice and guidance to individuals and employers with clear
pathways and entry points.
Education providers to work in partnership with businesses to raise the awareness of apprenticeship
reforms and the financial support available for new starts and upskilling existing staff.
Work with cluster groups and industry networks to raise the profile of apprenticeships to a wider and
more diverse selection of people. For example, through engagement with Babbasa programmes and
High Tech Bristol & Bath’s code clubs with the Somali community.
Skills Priorities for 2018 Priority Three
Increase apprenticeship starts and availability of higher apprenticeships
• Reflecting on how the objectives in this section can address diversity and equality.
Issue
Creative and digital businesses in the West of England are predominantly SMEs (89% under 49 staff) with many being founded by either technical or artistic people building a company around their expertise. In the Business West Skills and Training Survey 2017, 53% of these businesses cited increased leadership skills as a top five required skill for them to grow.
Many of these SMEs prioritise retaining and upskilling their talent with over 62% of businesses offering training to their staff in the last 12 months. However, their size is an often-cited challenge with the top barriers where it wasn’t available, being the cost of training or lack of/reduced budget. In addition, lack of knowledge of available options is a challenge with 73% of businesses saying they have no knowledge of using apprenticeships to upskill staff.
Objectives
Education and Business to work in partnership to provide flexible and cost-effective training for SMEs to
develop staff into roles; to develop leadership, management and IP skills.
Support SMEs in exploring the best use of new apprenticeship standards for both recruitment and
upskilling existing staff, and provide the opportunity for businesses to influence future skills and training
provision. Providing more information on: changes around the apprenticeship levy, age restrictions, new
standards and funding.
Business West through the Skills West programme to provide SMEs with the opportunity to identify skills
requirements to enable growth.
Develop partnerships with: industry, Further and Higher Education, training providers and sector skills
councils to develop and provide higher level apprenticeships for the sector particularly from Level 4
which is key to upskilling existing staff who may already have higher qualifications.
Future Bright, Skills West and other local business engagement programmes to ensure businesses are
aware of the support for in-work training and apprenticeships to upskill their existing workforce and
support in-work progression for all employees. Ensuring best practice and learning is shared between
businesses.
Skills Priorities for 2018 Priority Four
Engage SMEs in the active retention of staff through programmes of skills
development and training to ensure increased productivity and sustainable growth.
• Encouraging SMEs to consider best practice in staff welfare.
Support SMEs to be inclusive and effective in staff recruitment
• Reflecting on how the objectives in this section can address equality and diversity.
• How to build the talent pipeline in the region.
Issue
Diversity and inclusivity continue to be an issue in the creative and digital cluster across areas as wide ranging as ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, disability and socio-economic background. In the South West women make up only 17% of the talent in the digital cluster. (5) With this higher at 37% across the UK (7) this can still be improved, supported by significant demand for skills and increased activity from groups such as Women’s Tech Hub and Bath Girl Geeks.
According to the Business West Skills and Training Survey 2017, this lack of diversity is seen also in representation in BAME talent with 77% of respondents not employing anyone from a BAME background and just over half having an equality and diversity policy. Organisations such as the Pervasive Media Studio and Babbasa have started to make in-roads in this area but much more work is required.
Objectives
Engage with ‘women in tech and games’ programmes as a priority and consider recruitment practice,
potential workforce and flexible working models. Engage with programmes such as Women’s Tech Hub
returner programme to support engagement from industry.
To champion the creation of entry level roles within the sector through targeted liaison with skills
providers and creative employers for all ages.
Utilise existing networks to develop a ‘bank’ of industry mentors to provide role models to young people
and offer ongoing support to sustain a career. Support programmes such as SHIFT and Stepping up in
their work of providing role models.
Grow and support existing partnerships to develop pathways, workshops and training (linking to national
programmes and funding) for diverse audiences and identify funding to support development and
bursaries for training e.g. DigiMakers, Engine Shed on tour, Babbasa, Rising Arts Agency, JUMP at KWMC,
Digi-local, Grrrl Games Bristol, Women’s Tech Hub and Girl Geeks.
Business West through Skills West programme to encourage Creative and Digital companies to seek
best practice to explore their company culture and the nature of their ‘talent pipeline’ to open recruitment
possibilities for women and under-represented groups.
Skills Priorities for 2018 Priority Five
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Version 2
Reference Documents1) Global Trade Report 2018, Creative Industries Federation https://www.creativeindustriesfederation.com/publications/global-trade-report2) DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates 2017: Employment and Trade https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/640628/DCMS_Sectors_Economic_Estimates_2017_Employment_and_Trade.pdf3) DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates 2016: Regional Gross Value Added (GVA) https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/689557/DCMS_Sectors_Economic_Estimates_2016_Regional_GVA_report.pdf4) FE data library: apprenticeships, March 2018 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-apprenticeships#apprenticeship-participation5) The Tech Talent Charter (TTC) 2017, Techtalentcharter.co.uk6) Business West Skills and Training Survey 20177) Emsi - economic modelling 2018 courtesy of Prospects Services
Regional Centres of Excellence and ResearchBath Centre for Digital Entertainment
Bath Innovation Centre
Bristol & Bath by Design
Pervasive Media
SETsquared–Engine Shed
Centre for the Analysis of Motion, Entertainment Research and Applications (CAMERA)
Bristol VR lab
Pervasive Media Studio
Key Training ProvidersBath Spa University
University of Bath
University of Bristol
University of the West of England
Bath College
Cirencester College
City of Bristol
SGS College
Weston College
Boomsatsuma
Calling the Shots
Develop Me
KWMC
Mayden
QA Training
Professional Networks and OrganisationsArts Council England–South West
BECTU
BRIStech
Bristol Games Hub
Bristol Media
Business West
Co-working Hub – The Guild
Creative Bath
Creative & Cultural Skills
Creative Skillset
Cultural Forum for the Bath Area
DMA / IDM West
Skills West – Business West
Institute of Directors
Tech Partnership UK
TechSPARK
Theatre Bristol
West of England Design Forum
Western Training Provider Network
Supporting Research Documentsa) Tech Nation Report 2017/18b) 2018 Creative Industries Federation Reportc) West of England Combined Authority Business Plan, 2018/19d) West of England Combined Authority Operating Framework 2018/19e) Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the future, November 2017f) The Grand Challenges, Policy paper, May 2018 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy-the-grand-challenges/industrial-strategy-the-grand-challengesg) Careers strategy: making the most of everyone’s skills and talents, December 2017
h) Careers guidance: for further education colleges and sixth-form colleges, February 2018
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