Around 100 employers in the creative industries have formed a “co-operative” to offer 300 young people posts as apprentices or paid interns after interviewing them in a speed dating contest.
Organisations such as Facebook, RSA Films, Aardman Animation, Saatchi & Saatchi and gaming firm Activision have all signed up to take part in the ‘Creative Pioneers Challenge’, which opens for applications from anyone aged 16 or over from today until midday on Friday 27 April.
The initiative was spearheaded by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and is being backed by the sector skills council, Skillset, and the minister for culture, communication and creative industries, Ed Vaizey.
Nicola Mendelsohn, the IPA’s president and executive chairman, said: “It’s a real first – an employer-led collective committed to finding a solution to the national need. And the creative and digital media sector is well-placed to do so because there is high growth and big ambition for the UK’s potential.”
Dinah Caine, chief executive of Skillset and chair of the Creative Industries Council Skillset skills group, was equally upbeat. “It’s difficult for small creative businesses to make the time to set up apprenticeship schemes, but this does not mean that they are not interested,” she said.
As a result, under the scheme, the larger companies agreed to support the smaller ones, while Skillset would act as a facilitator and adviser, Caine added.
Applicants simply go to www.creativepioneers.co.uk and choose from three categories of entry – Can-Do; Can-Code and Can-Start. They then answer three simple questions and upload a 60-second video of themselves, explaining why they believe that they are a creative pioneer in their chosen category.
Shortlisted candidates will take part in a speed dating contest and the winners will be announced at the end of July. Successful contenders will then start work in September in areas ranging from TV and film production to web design and analytics and media planning and buying.
Budding entrepreneurs with a business idea are also being invited to apply, however, and, if selected, will be given support ranging from mentoring and investment to office space in order to get their idea off the ground.
