The Creative, Digital and Tech

Industries: Key Statistics, Skills

Needs and Solutions

Dr Kion AhadiHead of Research and Evaluation

The Digital Skills Summit: Powered by

Wired Sussex

About Creative Skillset

• We empower the Creative Industries to develop

skills and talent; by influencing and shaping policy,

ensuring quality and by securing the vital

investment for individuals to become the best in

their field and for businesses to grow.

• We work across film, television, radio, fashion,

animation, games, visual effects, textiles,

publishing, advertising and marketing

communications.

The Importance of the

Creative and Cultural

Industries

• 2.62m employed – 1.71m creative/non-creative employment in creative industries

– 907,000 creative employment in non-creative industries

• £76.9bn Gross Value Added or 5% of total

• 8.8% of exports (£17.3bn)

• Exceptional GVA growth between 2008 to

2013: 25.8%3

The Digital Tech Industry

• 1.46m employed in 47,200 companies

• 251k in Inner London

• 7.5k in Brighton which has the highest

concentration of digital companies

• 50% companies formed since 2008

• £53bn GVA

• 5.4% growth in employment by 2020

Common types of

Digital/Tech companies

• Software Development

• Advertising and Marketing

• Media and Entertainment

• E-Commerce

• Web Design and Technical

• Games Development and Publishing

• Data management and Analytics…

The Diversity Challenge

in Key Creative Industries

Sources: Creative Skillset Census 2012; Annual Population Survey; TCR; Creative Skillset Workforce Survey

2010, Labour Force Survey, Apr 2012-Mar 20136

2012 Women (%) BAME (%) Disabled (%)

50,605 45% 8% 4%

5,300 19% 1%

30,125 46% 6% 6%

5,475 14% 5% 7%

103,625 46% 9% 11%

152,060 35% 5% 7%

318,635 49% 17% 16%

192,355 44% 9% 14%

858,185 45% 11% 12%

Whole Economy 29,600,000 46% 10% 15%

Total

Other (Animation, Interactive Media etc)

Fashion & Textiles

Publishing

Sector

TV

VFX

Film

Games

Advertising

Higher Education

– Key statistics

• 2.5m full-time equivalent students in 2011/12. 243,759

(9.8%) studying Creative Skillset relevant courses.

• 89 per cent of all Creative Skillset relevant students

studying full-time, 69 per cent of all students in HE.

• Creative Skillset relevant students tend to be younger:

48 per cent between the ages of 18-20. Conversely only

11per cent are over the age of 30 compared to 26 per cent

for all students in HE.

7

HE Student Diversity

by sector

Source: HESA Student Record 2011/12 8

Graduate Destinations

Students doing Creative Skillset Ticked courses are more likely to be

employed and less likely to be unemployed than other graduates.

9

90%

7%2% 1%

76%

10% 9%5%

87%

4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Employed Study Unemployed Other

Tick Accredited Graduates All Creative Industries (Non-Tick) Graduates All Graduates in UK Economy

The question of contacts…

10

4%

6%

6%

7%

12%

14%

16%

16%

20%

Speculative application

Media (e.g. newspaper/magazine…

Professional networking

Your university/college (e.g. Careers Service,…

Other

Employer’s website

Already worked there (including on an…

Recruitment agency/website

Personal contacts, including family and friends

Why address Diversity?

• Recruitment by recommendation or word

of mouth is understandable, particularly in

micro and small companies (40% in digital

sector use internal or peer

recommendation).

• But - growing evidence linking more diverse

workforce with improved performance.

Strategies

• Develop, promote and embed robust diversity

policy

• Ensure all facilities - physical and online - are

accessible

• Identify, support and promote positive role models

• Positive outreach programme with minority group

partner organisations

• Make flexible working available for all as a default

• Learn from mistakes

How we can help

• Diversity Fund - Grants of up to £1,600 to spend

on training and short courses to individuals who

belong to under-represented groups.

• Trainee Finder - gives you quick and easy access

to an online database housing some of the UK’s

top trainees for your projects.

• HIIVE – the new professional network for creative

people: 10,000 members and 1,000 companies…

Digital Skills Gaps

• Crytek, Source,

Unity, Unreal,

Android, iPhone,

Windows Phone

• Coders and

developers

• UX Designers

• 3D Equalizer, 3DS

Max, Houdini, Maya,

Modo, Motion Builder,

Nuke, Photoshop,

VRay, XSI, Z-Brush

• Action Script, C++, C#,

Java, MEL, PERL,

Python

Generic Skills Gaps

• Working in a Team

• Working to a

deadline

• Planning and

Project

Management

• Understanding the

industry

• Communication

• Sales

• Business

Development

• Understanding the

pipeline

• Client Expertise

• Management and

Leadership

• Finance

How we can help:

Funding

• Evidence gathered from the industries

of skills gaps and shortages is used to

make strategic investment decisions.

• We operate several schemes that invest

industry funding directly into creative

businesses so that they can boost skills

and develop talent in their companies.

Other Activities

• Include soft skills modules in apprenticeships and longer

courses

• Work with industry organisations to continue to lobby

government

• Promote industry via social media and online campaigns

• Produce content and materials to promote industry awareness

• Develop partnerships with industry, schools and careers

organisations

• Identify, support and promote pioneers and champions

• Promote student and new entrants work – e.g. HIIVE

• Participate in high profile events, conference, trade shows and

panels

Workforce Survey

• The largest training & skills survey of the creative

workforce

• Also covers career development and future plans.

– Educational background & qualifications gained

– Degrees studied for & institutions attended

– Work experience – paid/unpaid

– Entry into Creative sectors & progression in them

– Sources used for careers advice

– Career barriers experienced

• Main report & sector reports (Film, TV, Radio, Animation,

VFX, Digital, Games, Facilities) published in April 2015

Questions?