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As the industry-led skills body for the UK screen industries, ScreenSkills’ focus on supporting and developing the high-end TV (HETV) workforce aims to build mid-level career roles that can help sustain the current production boom.
This month sees the return of the Leaders of Tomorrow programme, a three-year initiative that offers tailored support to mid-level HETV professionals through funded placements, training and widening networks to provide them with the tools to progress in their career to a leadership role in the future.
Helping hand to step up
The programme’s aims of developing skills among those already working in the sector are echoed in the similarly focused Make a Move initiative, enabling on-the-job training for crew members identified as ready to step up to a more senior role. ScreenSkills also offers mid-level crew leadership and management training and funds a range of industry transfer programmes to support people to transfer their skills from other industries into screen.
Kaye Elliott, ScreenSkills director of high-end television, says: “We’re incredibly proud to be in a position where we are spending the most industry investment ever on mid-grade shortages to help grow the UK workforce. We are also expanding our job-share programme to help industry retain experienced crew who may not be able to commit to full-time roles.
“All our initiatives are only possible through the contributions we receive to the HETV Skills Fund. Industry are committed to the value of a joined-up approach to skills investment, which allows us to tailor their funds to where industry need is greatest to benefit crew all across the UK.”
“Leaders of Tomorrow has facilitated on-the-job experience that has been crucial to my development”
Dave Crewdson, Leaders of Tomorrow participant
Dave Crewdson, in his second year of the Leaders of Tomorrow programme, reveals how the initiative’s rounded approach has impacted his career: “Beyond tailored professional training and an experienced hand-picked mentor, it has also provided essential access to funding that has facilitated on-the-job experience and shadowing of established personnel that has been crucial to my own development.”
Development initiatives
Programmes like these are made possible through industry support and production contributions to the HETV Skills Fund, which helps the funding of career development initiatives that respond directly to the needs of the sector, such as Make a Move, which enables freelancers to access on-the-job training and support to move to a higher-grade role.
Producer Joel Stokes had taken part in the programme when moving from a production manager to a line producer role, and has since helped others make a similar transition by becoming a mentor.
Speaking of its importance, he says: “Every transition comes with a steep learning curve and when you’re a freelancer, you often don’t get the training for a role that you might have in other industries. The Make a Move mentorship offers a bit more structure to that transition.
“It comes from a really good place – the idea of nurturing talent is such a good thing.”
