Cracking into the Screen Industry with Apprenticeships

The UK’s screen industries, from film and television to games, animation and post-production, are internationally renowned, one of the UK’s success stories. A leading position reflected by this year’s Bafta, Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for Hawk, Hamnet and Adolescence amongst others – and we should be very proud. But most people are unaware of the vast range of skills needed to produce screen content. Each production requires on average anywhere between 40 and 400 different skilled roles to deliver it from concept to screen, from set builders to VFX specialists to production managers and camera operators. The engine behind the UK’s stellar reputation is our incredibly skilled, diverse and professional screen workforce.

75% of young people are interested in creative careers, yet many remain unsure how to begin

Research from ERIC suggests that 75% of young people are interested in creative careers, yet many remain unsure how to begin. Without existing connections or knowledge of its complex ecosystem, it can seem totally inaccessible. Even once working in the screen sector, a career path is not always linear, clear or easy to navigate.

Apprenticeships can offer a fantastic pathway into some of these roles, like Harvey who secured a degree apprenticeship in Broadcast Engineering with the BBC and MBS, via ScreenSkills

“I didn’t want to be in a classroom for 2 years, I wanted something entirely hands-on; Getting stuck in with TV studio seemed the perfect thing for someone dying to see how live TV is made,” said Harvey.

Apprentices rotating through different departments, such as prep bays, on-set rigging and equipment maintenance, develop a rounded understanding of how their craft shapes a production’s look and feel.

“Studying and rotating placements were really broad but also meant that we were prepared to be placed in any role after we graduated. We were often surprised about the variety of roles that a career in the world of screen could offer.“

“Now, I work as a travelling broadcast engineer mostly on sporting events, travelling the world to amazing places whilst producing contribution feeds for some of the busiest sporting events” continued Harvey.

Examples, such as the BBC’s apprenticeship programmes or trainee placements with major suppliers like MBS demonstrate how partnerships between employers and learners can benefit both sides.

These successes, however, sit within a wider training picture. Apprenticeships are just one route in. ScreenSkills programmes such as Trainee Finder, Make a Move and Leaders of Tomorrow help new entrants find their feet, assist mid-level crew to step up, and prepare emerging leaders for senior roles. Together, they form a ladder of learning that keeps skills moving upwards across the industry.

Yet there remains a mismatch between how the current apprenticeship system operates and how the screen industry works in practice.

Yet there remains a mismatch between how the current apprenticeship system operates and how the screen industry works in practice. Employers in the screen industry are already contributing financially to training, many screen employers have payroll bills of £3 million or more, and contribute thousands into levy, but are unable to access it to deliver the kind of training they actually need.

The issue comes down to structure. The government’s decision to shorten the minimum apprenticeship length from 12 months to 8 is a welcome step and will make a difference in a few areas. But in the screen industry, many roles run on short-term contracts, often lasting less than nine months, so even this reduced model is still too long to fit how the sector works in reality.

Freelancers make-up over 50% of the screen workforce

The Growth and Skills Levy was designed for a narrow use case: only to be accessed by full time employees. The model excludes freelancers which make-up over 50% of the screen workforce and many workers who aren’t on ‘typical’ contracts. As a nation that needs to upskill and meet current and future skills challenges, we can’t afford to lock out an entire working group. Greater flexibility could change this. Allowing levy funds to support short, targeted training for freelancers would unlock more of the industry’s training potential. Allowing atypical workers to access short courses funded through the Growth and Skills Levy from April could be the game changer. For freelancers, it would mean access to skill development without stepping away from paid work. For employers, it would make training investment feel viable and relevant to their operational reality.

Evolution

As National Apprenticeship Week shines a light on the power of on-the-job learning, it’s an important time to think about how the system could evolve. Apprenticeships have already opened doors for hundreds of people who might otherwise have struggled to find a way in. But to keep building on that success, skills policy needs to reflect how the screen industries actually function, which is dynamic, project-driven and always evolving.

The UK’s creative workforce remains one of its greatest national assets. By making the Growth and Skills Levy more flexible and supporting modular training alongside traditional apprenticeships, we can ensure that workforce continues to thrive, and keep the UK’s screen sector where it belongs: at the forefront of global storytelling.

by Laura Mansfield, CEO, ScreenSkills.