Creative Skills Academy – Employer Partnerships

Our fantastic creative department is equipped with industry-standard facilities along with expert lecturers, who provide all the skills students need to work within the creative industry. If you manage a business within the sector, we want to hear from you.

About the Creative Skills Academy

The Creative Skills Academy is part of the Mayor of London’s Programmes that support Londoners hardest hit by the pandemic in sectors key to London’s recovery and long-term economic growth. We proudly work with the Mayor of London and a fantastic range of businesses to produce our Skills Academies.

We provide free training opportunities and support packages to help Londoners get a job in the creative sector. We do this by providing bespoke flexible learning programmes to fit individual circumstances and availability. We aim to give them the confidence and skills they need to be employable within three to five weeks, and a guaranteed job interview with an employer who is accredited with the Good Work Standard.

Our skills training and education offer opportunities into a wide range of jobs in the film, TV, animation, visual effects and games sectors, from supervisors, production carpenters and costumiers, to 3D animators, game developers, technicians and production managers, as well as legal, support and administrative roles. Our Skills Academy works with employers to design education programmes that will give the industry the skilled people they need to help their businesses grow and safeguard the future of the sector.

What does the Creative Skills Academy offer?

Fully funded (FREE to students) tailor-made industry-relevant courses
Work placements and vacancy support
Masterclasses and insight days
An advisory board of industry experts
Industry events and panels
Employability support
Dedicated Creative Skills Hubs
Access to a diverse network of skilled talent
Pre-placement bespoke training
Support with expenses for candidates
Teach industry specialist skills

Creative Skills Academy – Employer Partnerships

Our Mayors Skills Academies are all credited by The Quality Mark which identifies our academies to be excellent, industry-relevant training in the capital. The Quality Mark Statement also represents our commitment to including a combination of sector-specific questions, and wider cross-cutting issues like diversity and inclusion, sustainability, Good Work and the engagement of underrepresented groups.

How can you work with us?

We have partnered with a variety of employers in the creative industry to provide training and work experience opportunities. Our employer partners are committed to improving the lives of Londoners. By working with us, you will help people upskill or enter a new profession while filling vacancies in key industries.

Our partners work with us in the following ways:

Providing work experience opportunities
Taking on apprentices
Identifying skills shortages and working with our colleges on curriculum planning
Participating in our recruitment events and job fairs
Creating jobs and guaranteeing job interviews
Providing professional briefs or input into our curriculum design
Joining our Advisory Board
Hosting visits, industry insight events or sharing your experience as a speaker
Becoming a mentor or providing mentors to support new entrants
Designing bespoke courses to train new entrants
Selecting ‘work-ready’ candidates from our talent pool

Work experience

Work experience benefits both students and employers. For students, it provides real-work exposure which helps them explore career paths and showcase their skills and commitment. Employers can gain access to diverse talent, plan for the future and energise their teams.

Teach an industry specialist skill

Help design or deliver part – or all – of an industry-relevant training course to help fill a skill gap or deliver a masterclass. Ensure that our students stay up to date with the latest skills by sharing your industry knowledge and expertise.

Live Project Network (LPN)

Our Live Project Network (LPN) programme is supported by professional creatives who deliver a brief over a fixed period. While the industry professional facilitates the brief, the participants lead and learn the skills, behaviours and processes required to deliver a creative idea that is fit for purpose. Alongside this, they all develop a portfolio, gain credits, mentoring, employability guidance and a potential job offer at the end.

Whether it’s by speaking on a panel at one of our industry events, giving a talk to students, hosting a visit for students at your company or joining our advisory board, your input is invaluable! These opportunities allow students to learn from your expertise and gain insight into the diverse roles, skills and career opportunities in the industry.

Equal Access Network (EAN)

Film London‘s Equal Access Network (EAN) is supported by the Creative Skills Academy. The EAN is supported by the Mayor of London and aims to be the capital’s screen industry and represent the diversity of the city itself. Their core aim is to promote equality, inclusion and diversity using the EAN to become the link in an industry network for those who don’t have it. The EAN also aims to remove all barriers to entry and is free to join and open to all. If you are a new entrant, returner, mid-level professional in the film and TV industry or looking to make a career change, join the EAN today.

Mayor of London – inclusive employer toolkits

The Mayor of London and Workforce Integration Network (WIN) has developed new inclusive employer toolkits to strengthen Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the workplace. The Workforce Integration Network (WIN) works with employers from high-growth sectors to understand the barriers to improving diversity and equality, and to identify opportunities and strategies to recruit, retain and progress a more diverse workforce.

The actions proposed in the toolkits range from removing barriers to entry and facilitating engagement with underrepresented groups; ensuring workers from these groups are retained and supported to progress; building an inclusive culture; and taking steps to improve diversity and inclusion in your supplier relationships. These toolkits are designed to enable you to assess where you are on EDI, identify and implement actions to help you go further and take advantage of opportunities for cross-sector collaboration. Find out more about the toolkits here.

Register your interest

We are looking for more employer partners to offer employment and placements for our programmes. If you are interested in taking part or would like to speak to us about bespoke short courses or recruitment, please register your details in the form below.