Creative Skills Fund set for $63m boost

Businesses from the creative sector, led by Channel 4 and Creative Skillset, have pledged to match the £16m fund revealed by business secretary Vince Cable earlier this month to develop and drive education and skills.

The Department for Business Innovation & Skills and the Department for Education (DfE) have committed a further £4m.

Later today, Create UK is to outline how businesses and the government plan to collaborate to ‘maintain the UK’s position as world leader for the creative industries’ after benefiting from the investment.

The fund will deliver several ground-breaking initiatives across film, television, radio, animation, games, VFX, publishing, creative digital media, advertising, marketing, fashion and textiles.

C4 chief executive David Abraham said it was the “largest collaboration” ever achieved.

“Through this co-investment we can ensure learning and training is of the highest quality and that we can open the doors of the creative industries to diverse new talent, voices and ideas; allowing us to own our own growth and collectively invest in skills,” he said.

Skills and enterprise minister Matthew Hancock MP added: “Five years ago there were virtually no apprentices in the creative industries - there are now over 4,200. In order to ensure this positive change continues we are empowering employers to play an active role in workforce development.

“Everyone in our country - no matter who they are - should have the chance to reach the highest ranks in the creative industries as well as every other part of our national life. This government funding will be key to helping people break into and progress within the creative industries – spreading opportunity and enhancing social mobility.”

This story was first published in Broadcast