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The High-end TV Skills Fund is supporting Welsh initiatives to boost creative development
Building the screen workforce throughout the UK relies on continued support and investment across the nations and regions. As the industry-led body for the UK screen industries, ScreenSkills’ work across Wales has used the High-end TV Skills Fund to help further develop industry connections and offer new opportunities to local talent.
In November 2021, Becs Meredith took on the newly created role of training liaison manager for Wales and her first year has seen her focus on raising the profile of ScreenSkills across the country through building positive partnerships with companies and individuals working in screen and development.
Meredith, who is based in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, says: “This continues to be such an exciting time for the screen industry in Wales and it’s great to be able to support this via our many UK-wide and Wales-specific programmes. ScreenSkills is focused on nurturing the abundance of local talent while attracting new talent to our growing industry.”
This industry growth, with shows like Sex Education and Doctor Who now firmly established in the country, opens up new opportunities for new and existing talent in Wales to progress in the screen industries.
That’s where the work of the High-end TV Skills Fund is vital. Its ties to the industry, via the dedicated Wales Working Group, help inform and shape programmes directly tailored to address those needs.
Established in 2022, the working group comprises eight senior industry professionals working across Wales and has been central in investing Wales-specific funding in programmes.
An example is the Wales Head of Department Development (HoD) programme, an initiative for existing HoDs currently working in comedy, continuing drama or non-HETV drama, who want to broaden their experience and take their next step into HETV drama in Wales.
The programme initially set out to support three individuals, but thanks to support from the Welsh government via Creative Wales, two additional placements can now be funded – providing a total of five placements.
Producer Adam Knopf is chair of the group. He reveals how its early focus has had a direct influence on the country’s screen industry:
“The group aims to support initiatives that nurture creative leaders of the future and have a long-term effect on the industry in Wales. The HoD programme is already helping creative HoDs gain their first HETV credits, supporting career growth, which will allow them to compete with talent from other parts of the UK. This will in turn improve the opportunities for Wales-based middle management and entry-level crew.
“We also wanted to train up talent who will one day generate IP made locally to employ the HoDs we are supporting. By sponsoring new trainee script editors to work alongside production and development teams, our hope is that this will increase the creative development workforce in Wales.”
With newly established ties now firmly cemented, Meredith wants to ensure that the investment in the Welsh talent pipeline looks as strong as ever. “The message we are keen to share is that whether you are just starting out, making a change in your career, or transferring into the industry from a completely different career, the opportunities to work in TV, film or animation are there for you, and ScreenSkills is here to help.”
