At the end of last year, the College hosted three weeks of talks and presentations delivered by specialist speakers from both the creative industry and higher education organisations. The Creative Kickstart programme consisted of 20 talks, giving students and staff a direct insight into the range of job roles and progression routes within the areas of graphics, film, media, architecture, journalism and photography. 

The creative sector is one of the fastest growing parts of the UK economy.  In 2017, the number of people employed within the creative industries stood at just over two million, accounting for six percent of all UK jobs.  The growth of the sector is expected to continue and therefore it is important for the College to educate our students as to the routes into the sector, supporting them to make informed career choices. With speakers ranging from large industry leading organisations such as NBC Universal, to self-employed designers and videographers, we were able to ensure students understood how to better prepare themselves for this type of career.  The programme was a huge success with over 250 students attending at least one talk.

Rachel Beasley, Curriculum Manager for vocational media commented, ‘’This is the first time we have run an event of this kind and I have to say it was fantastic to see such a great mix of talks, with students able to pick and choose what they are most interested in.  We are incredibly grateful to the large number of industry professionals and former students that willingly gave their time to share their experiences and wisdom.  They were truly inspiring and it was wonderful to see how enthusiastic the students were when they returned from the various sessions.  The event will certainly have helped all students wishing to pursue a career or further education within the creative industries.’’

Hannah Boast, first year student, who listened to former student Charlotte Hill’s talk on film and commercials commented, “Charlotte’s talk encouraged me to continue to work towards a role in this industry with more confidence”.  Hannah also attended a talk by Katherine Bradshaw from Fox Searchlight UK about film marketing and said, “The talk introduced me to other careers within the industry and enabled me to reflect on what direction I’d like to take.”

Thank you to everyone who took part, especially all the external speakers who found time in their busy schedules to join us for this fantastic event. We hope to welcome you back to the College soon.