By Nick Sheridan

Skillset will make the Government payments available to Creative Industries employers with less than 250 staff.

Vince Cable made the announcement at the launch of the fifth annual National Apprenticeship Week at Channel Four in London this morning (Monday, 6 February).

The event was attended by apprentices and representatives from throughout the Creative Industries – including Channel Four itself, the BBC, Asos.com, Shed Media, MPG Media and McCann Manchester. Many of these businesses have apprentices under the Skillset Apprenticeships in Creative & Digital Media and Fashion & Textiles.

The Government and Creative Industries Council recently endorsed Skillset to lead a drive to help more companies in the sector take on apprentices in partnership with the National Apprenticeships Service (NAS). This will include a promotional campaign to raise the profile of apprenticeships in the creative industries.

Vince Cable said: “Apprenticeships are at the centre of the Government’s skills policy because we know that they work. Not only do they provide individuals with the skills they need for prosperous and rewarding careers, they also boost businesses’ profits and drive growth in the wider economy.

“I’m pleased that the Creative Industries recognise this and we support all the work they are doing to increase the number of apprenticeships in the sector, particularly in small businesses.

“We are providing extra help to enable small employers to hire their first apprentices. We will also continue to develop new advanced and higher-level apprenticeships to deliver the world-class skills individuals and firms need to get ahead."

Chief executive of Channel Four and Skillset board member, David Abraham, said: “Apprenticeships are a fantastic and innovative way for creative employers to develop the fresh talent they need to continue driving growth, while at the same time improving diversity and fair access to our industries.

“As endorsed by the Creative Industries Council just last month, now is the time for the whole sector to embrace apprenticeships as a key entry route to our industries, helping to address our business needs. That is why we so warmly welcome the partnership between Skillset and NAS to drive this work forward.”

Additional initiatives to boost apprenticeships in the creative industries include:

• Skillset, supported by significant investment from NAS, will assist the industries to establish group training approaches to allow businesses in creative & digital media and fashion & textiles to share training resources and manage apprentices collectively.

• New frameworks for higher apprenticeships (up to degree-level equivalent) to meet the skills needs essential to drive growth. Skillset will work with more than 300 businesses, delivering an initial 500 apprenticeships. The first places are set to be offered in September 2012.

Employers and apprentices also came together to demonstrate the benefits and successes of the apprenticeship programme at Generation Digital, held at the Thomson Reuters building in Canary Wharf this afternoon.

Now in its third year, there are more than 450 apprentices doing Skillset’s Advanced Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media throughout England, working with employers such as the BBC, Channel 4, Twofour Group and Halo Films.

Guests heard from leading global digital media companies as to why they are embracing advanced and higher level digital media apprenticeships and how these digital apprentices are re-shaping our world in their image.

Chaired by Keme Nzerem of Channel 4 News, speakers on the day included Stewart Pedler, Global Head of Marketing and Creative at Thomson Reuters; Andria Vidler, CEO at EMI Music; Simon Waugh, CEO at National Apprenticeships Service and Dinah Caine, CEO at Skillset.

Generation Digital was organised by Creative Process in conjunction with National Apprenticeship Service, Skillset, Thomson Reuters and EMI Music.

About the author

Nick Sheridan is Skillset press and PR officer. Skillset is the Creative Industries’ Sector Skills Council (SSC). SSCs are licensed by government to be independent, employer-led, UK–wide organisations. They actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in their industries. www.skillset.org. To find out more about Apprenticeships Week and how you can get involved, visit: www.apprenticeships.org.