Frequently Asked Questions
We get many enquiries on a daily basis asking similar questions, especially when it comes to starting out in the industries we support, and training in general. The sections below may already answer your own questions about what the Skills team can do for you.
Sector Skills Councils
We work closely with the Sector Skills Councils that cover many of the creative digital industries that we support. They provide detailed, up to date and relevant information on preparing for careers in those industries, and how to keep developing as a professional once your career is underway.
Skillset
Skillset is the industry body which supports skills and training for people and businesses, to ensure the UK creative media industries maintain their world class position. Their site has a wealth of information covering Film, Television, Radio, Computer Games, Digital and Publishing.
If you’re looking for careers advice they have an extensive section covering just this – and if you’re a careers advisor, there’s support for you too. Where Skillset are supporting training and development opportunities themselves, they’ll be updated to these pages too.
Creative and Cultural Skills
Creative & Cultural Skills is the Sector Skills Council for Advertising and Music, two of the areas we support, alongside Crafts, Cultural Heritage, Design, Literature, Music, Performing, and Visual Arts, which we don’t support directly, but overlap with many of the areas we do. Their main website is a hub of information and news regarding these industries, while Creative Choices is their online destination offering advice and inspiration for careers in the creative and cultural industries.
e-skills UK
e-skills UK is the Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology. They work on behalf of employers to ensure the UK has the technology skills it needs to succeed in a global digital economy. Their work covers software, internet & web, IT services, telecommunications and business change, many of which overlap with our sectors, especially the Digital and Games Industries. The careers advice on their site is invaluable, not to mention up to date, and includes news on opportunities you may be able to take advantage of right now.
The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)
The NCTJ is the journalism industry's charity delivering the premier training scheme for journalists in the UK.
The Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC)
The BJTC is a partnership between the main employers and trade bodies in broadcast journalism in the UK, providing accreditation and guidance to the more than 30 colleges and universities in the country providing training in broadcast journalism. Their site is an essential destination for anyone considering a career in this area.
The FAQ’s
I’m looking for work experience. Can you help?
There may be placement opportunities open now via one of our current schemes. However these aren’t work experience in the traditional sense – they’re paid, work based training. Competition for these opportunities is high, and we’ll be looking for individuals who really want a career in the specific area the placement is related to.
If you’re looking for a list of companies to contact regarding work experience, we can’t provide a list directly, and there’s no way of knowing if it would be a list of companies that’s right for what you want to do. There are a number of online directories for the film and TV industries to help you build your own list, however, which are listed in a section below.
Work experience in these industries is often a good way for people to start their careers – or decide if it’s really something they want to do! There are some things to keep in mind, mainly to ensure that you’re not exploited, and that any work experience you do is in an environment where your health, safety and welfare are not overlooked. Skillset have published guidelines and a brief guide to the important points here.
I’d like to contact production companies to send my details to. Can you give me a list of companies in the region?
This is something we can’t do – the information we hold on companies and individuals in the region is covered by the Data Protection Act and can’t be shared in that way. We’ve listed a number of online directories below by sector which should help.
If you’re new to the industry, then you probably need to start thinking about how you contact companies, and how you present your details to them. These factsheets from Skillset are a good starting place.
If you’re more established in your career, then you need to be sure you have an up-to-date profile on Northern Exposure. We manage this Production and Creatives Database in partnership with our colleagues at Northern Film+Media and Screen Yorkshire, promoting a searchable resource of crew, creatives, technicians, facilities and companies to the UK and global industry. Our Production Liaison team are constantly promoting the database to the industry in the region, and to productions planning to film here.
Don’t forget that our website is a hub for information on industry events in the region, both our own and those delivered by other organisations. One of these may be the ideal networking opportunity for you. Find out more here to see if there’s an event that’s right for you.
I need some careers advice.
We don’t provide careers advice ourselves, however we do provide 1-2-1 advice services for people new to the industry, and established freelancers. These do cost money to access and are intended for people either already into their careers, or at the point where they have completed an appropriate level of training and prior work experience.
If the creative digital industries - and the careers within them – are still a bit of a mystery to you then now is the time to make use of the Sector Skills Councils and the free information and advice they provide. Their details, and an explanation of what they do, can be found in the section at the top of this page.
Can you give me some funding?
The Skills team often get asked for funding without there being a clear idea of what the funding is actually for – and often it has nothing to do with training! Here’s an overview of what we can do, and who can help when we can’t provide support.
Funding for training
We help established freelancers fund their ongoing training with the Media Freelance Fund, and companies through the Bespoke Company Fund. If you’re new to the industry, this type of funding isn’t available; however at this stage in your career we may be offering other types of support, whether that’s a training placement or a development scheme, for example.
We can’t fund degrees or postgraduate qualifications, unfortunately , as we are funded from the same sources as universities and this would create a “double funding” situation.
Business Startup Funding
We don’t provide funding for business start-ups, however your first port of call on starting your own business is Business Link Northwest, who can provide dedicated support and advice. You may also want to locate your nearest Chamber of Commerce, who can also help you get started and find new customers and partners in your area.
Business Funding and Development
We have a number of projects to help established businesses explore new markets, collaborate, find investors and more. For a full overview of what we can do for businesses in the digital creative industries visit this section of our site.
Funding for film productions and projects
Filmmakers are supported by our Film Team, with more information on who they are and what they do here. Their activities include funding the region’s best established and first-time filmmakers, film festivals, and developing the audience for film – and other forms of media – in the region.
Mediabox – funding for young people
Mediabox is a fund for organisations to work with disadvantaged young people on youth led media projects. It funds media projects that use print, television, film, radio, digital, or online media projects in order to enable young people aged 13-19 to express their ideas and views on issues that matter to them. We manage the Northwest fund of Mediabox, and more information can be found here.
Working in Front of The Camera
TV and Radio Presenters
While we may be able to help aspiring and established broadcast journalists whose duties may include presenting, we can’t provide help to individuals with the sole aim of becoming a presenter. There’s no set route into the role, and just because one set of training and circumstances worked for one person, it’s no guarantee that it will work for someone else. Skillset has a page dedicated to presenting careers which provides a well-rounded, well-informed guide to presenting, and links to further advice.
Acting Careers
We don’t support actors or other performers directly ourselves. For advice on careers in performing, we suggest the following resources and organisations:
- Creative Choices has an entire section with advice and information on careers in the performing arts.
- Skillset’s Careers section includes advice on careers in Performing, especially in front of the camera.
- The National Council for Drama Training is a partnership of employers in theatre, broadcast and media industries, employee representatives and training providers. They accredit vocational courses, act as a champion for the industry and optimise support for professional drama training and education. Their site provides a guide to the choices in choosing training for acting and performing arts careers.
- The Conference of Drama Schools comprises Britain’s 22 leading Drama Schools. They act as a voice for the member schools and to set and maintain the highest standards of drama training.
- Equity is the UK Trade Union representing professional performers. Their site includes careers advice factsheets and a new advice service giving access to experienced performers who have been trained in providing careers advice.
- The Stage is the newspaper for the performing arts industry, with all of their news stories on their website and a section with advice for individuals in all areas of the industry.
- Organisations in the region:
The Actors’ Centre North is a non-profit organisation providing training workshops in all areas for established and aspiring performers and presenters in the region.
The Performing Arts Network and Development Agency (PANDA) is a support and development agency for companies and practitioners in the performing arts across the Northwest.
Other sources of information:
News, knowledge and networks in the region
- Merseyside ACME supports and develops the Creative Industries Sector on Merseyside, with a busy calendar of events and activities for all of the creative industries, including the sectors we cover.
- How-Do carries news, opinion and resources for the North West media industries, with up to the minute news and a thriving community of contributors and commenters.
- LDP Creative is the hyperlocal blog run by the Liverpool Daily Post for the creative community in Merseyside, covering the area's creative and digital businesses.
- Creative Lancashire is a support and development agency funded by Lancashire County Council, with a mission to realise the combination of creative and commercial potential in Lancashire,
Trade bodies, unions, industry news and knowledge by sector
Film
Television
Radio
Digital & Creative Services
Music
Games
Publishing
Film and Television
- The UK Film Council is the Government-backed lead agency for film in the UK ensuring that the economic, cultural and educational aspects of film are effectively represented at home and abroad. Their site gives a guide to their activities, but you may find that organisations such as Northwest Vision and Media and Skillset deliver UKFC-funded services and support relevant to you on their behalf.
- The British Film Institute promotes understanding and appreciation of Britain's rich film and television heritage and culture, including festivals and film education.
- BAFTA is the leading independent charity in the UK supporting, developing and promoting the art forms of the moving image. Find out how we are inspiring the next generation of talent in the film, television and video games industries.
- The Royal Television Society is the leading forum for discussion and debate on all aspects of the television community, with industry members and events in all regions.
- Pact is the UK trade association representing and promoting the commercial interests of independent feature film, television, digital, children's and animation media companies.
- BECTU is the independent trade union for those working in broadcasting, film, theatre, entertainment, leisure, interactive media and allied areas.
- Northern Exposure is the Production and Creatives database for the North of England, supported by Northwest Vision and Media, Screen Yorkshire and Northern Film+Media.
- Shooting People is a community of 37,000+ filmmakers who share their resources, skills and experience online.
- Screen International is a weekly film industry magazine with news from the UK, US, Europe, Asia and the rest of the world.
- Mandy.com is one of the best known online production resources featuring a crew, companies and facilities directory, jobs listings and more.
- The Knowledge and Kemps Film & Television are both leading guides to the film, television, video and commercial production industries.
- The Northern Film Network (NFN) provides accessible support and encouragement to emerging filmmakers, increasing their awareness of, and access to, the film/media industry and exposing them to new ideas and opportunities.
Radio
- The Radio Academy is a registered charity dedicated to the encouragement, recognition and promotion of excellence in UK broadcasting and audio production.
Digital & Creative Services
- Manchester Digital is the independent trade association for the thriving ICT and new media industries in the North West of England.
- The Drum carries news, knowledge and jobs for the UK advertising, design, marketing, digital and PR industries.
- The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) is the UK’s trade and professional body for advertising, media and marketing communications agencies.
- The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) is the trade association for online advertising. With over 540 members, it's run for the leading media owners and agencies in the UK internet industry.
Music
- The Musicians' Union represents over thirty thousand musicians working in all sectors of the music business.
Games
- TIGA is the trade association representing the UK’s games industry. Their members include independent games developers, in-house publisher owned developers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities.
Publishing
- The National Union of Journalists is the union for journalists in the UK and Ireland. Their site lists in detail what they can do for journalists, both established and aspiring.