We must nurture apprenticeships – here’s how

The creative industries are the root of British culture. They delight, thrill and unite us. How fortunate, then, that they are one of the UK’s economic superpowers.

Between 2010 and 2019, the creative sector grew more than one and a half times faster than the wider economy. In 2022 alone, it contributed £124.6 billion in GVA – more than aerospace, automotive, life sciences and oil and gas combined. And in 2023, it employed 2.4 million people.

That’s compelling evidence of the sector’s impact and influence – but it’s not all. The government plans to boost investment in creative industries from £17 billion to £31 billion by 2035.

But there is a threat to this enormous potential: skills shortages.

Skills shortages

Nearly two-thirds of ‘hard-to-fill’ roles in the sector are attributable to them – particularly in high-skilled jobs, where 78% of employers report difficulties. Left unaddressed, this could limit the sector’s potential.

High-skilled immigration and fresh-thinking universities could mitigate the risks, of course. However, the real solution lies with apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships can be a game-changer because they offer a powerful route into creative careers, especially for young people and disadvantaged groups who choose not – or simply cannot afford – to attend university.

They are also a powerful economic force. For every pound invested in apprenticeships, the economy gets £21 in return.

Remarkably low uptake

Yet uptake of apprenticeships remains remarkably low. Fewer than 1% of all new apprenticeship starts are in the creative sector, while only 5% of sector businesses take apprentices on – despite the acute skills shortages.

Part of the problem is that skills shortages tend to be in higher skilled occupations, which are typically filled by university graduates. The sector is also often defined by short-term contractual work carried out by freelancers, hardly the environment to nourish young apprentices. But there is also a lack of awareness among employers of the range and availability of apprenticeships.

It is clear the system needs reform – and, with the government proposing a new Growth and Skills Levy, there is now a real opportunity to reimagine the way apprenticeships work.

The new report from Birmingham City University (BCU) and the University of Arts London (UAL) – Securing a Future for Technical and Professional Apprenticeships and Skills in the Creative Sector – sets out a blueprint for action.

Blueprint for action

• Empower creative businesses

We need to help the sector determine the technical and professional skills it needs. Partnering with training providers via Creative Industries Clusters can ensure skills are tailored according to specific sub-sectors and regions.

Support from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Education, and Skills England will help us invest in skills needed in the future. A Creative Levy Exchange platform could allow large employers to redirect unspent levy funds to smaller organisations – widening access and participation.

• Think fast in unpredictable times

Given the government’s inclination to give artificial intelligence companies access to creative intellectual property, the creative sector must move quickly. We need to design new apprenticeships, particularly ones responsive to issues related to future technologies and intellectual property. A Creative Skills Observatory could provide real-time insights into labour market trends, ensuring training remains relevant.

• Experiment with new delivery formats

A National Creative Apprenticeship Innovation Hub, led by institutions such as BCU and UAL, could help prototype new delivery models, support provider capacity, and align the latest research with the fast-changing demands of the creative sector. Successful initiatives like the BBC’s levy transfer partnerships and NextGen Skills Academy’s collective recruitment model offer replicable blueprints.

• Be smarter with funding

We need more flexible training with the right funding models. The government’s decision to introduce shorter duration and minimum off-the-job training hours for each apprenticeship standard is welcome in this respect. But we can go further.

If we retain funding for degree and level 7 apprenticeships and expand support to modular programmes and higher technical qualifications, we can ensure businesses – including freelancers and micro-businesses – can access high quality skills programmes.

• Adopt a skills-first approach

We need to ensure businesses clearly understand the apprenticeships and skills products on offer. A National Creative Apprenticeship Innovation Hub, supported by regional creative hubs, could help us focus on equity-led design and delivery across the regions. This could help widen access and encourage employers to invest in talent.

The root of the word ‘culture’ means to nurture. If we nurture creative talent through high-quality, flexible apprenticeships and skills programmes, we will not only sustain British culture but ensure it is inclusive, future-facing and economically vital.