Link

Connecting Industry, Education and

Creativity in the Midlands and beyond.
Creative Alliance Finalists in
Apprenticeships 4 England
Training Provider of the
Year Award 2014
P3 Creative Apprenticeships
On The Rise In The Midlands
P9 PROVING POTENTIAL
P13 Creative Pioneers 2014 Launched
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Director
Creative Alliance
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HELPING TALENT TO TAKE OFF IN
THE CREATIVE AND CULTURAL INDUSTRIES
Image Copyright Chris Keenan
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www.primeobjective.co.uk
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CREATIVE APPRENTICESHIPS
ON THE RISE
IN THE MIDLANDS
Saturday 25th January welcomed over
500 young people to the Get Into Creative
Employment event at the Birmingham
REP, where 15 of the citys arts and cultural
organisations ofered over 30 paid internship
or apprenticeship opportunities across a
range of creative roles. This opportunity for
employers to meet potential new applicants
was hugely successful, the space buzzing with
passionate young creatives exploring their
chance to get into creative employment.
The positions available are made
possible with funding from the Creative
Employment Programme, a 15m fund
to support the creation of traineeships,
formal apprenticeship and paid internship
opportunities in England for young
unemployed people aged 16-24 wishing to
pursue a career in the arts and cultural sector.
Birmingham Museums Trust are
long time champions of ofering young
people opportunities through apprenticeships.
The programme has allowed them to take
on another apprentice, but also a paid
intern; a rare opportunity for a graduate in
Birminghams creative sector. This event
was an important start to their recruitment:
Weve 100 names of young people who we
know are interested in our internships and
apprenticeships - fantastic result.
Ikon and Sampad, 2 more of Birminghams
long standing arts organisations also
had positive feedback about the day.
Ive seen 10 young people on
JSA anyone of whom I could appoint now.
Ikon Gallery
This has been a great opportunity
to tell 16-24 year olds about what we actually
do and recruit them to our young peoples
programme - never mind the quality were
seeing who we could recruit. Sampad
But this isnt just a ash in the pan for
entry level creative opportunities. The Creative
Employment Programme will continue
throughout 2014, allowing more employers to
ofer apprenticeships and internships to the
young people in our city.
500 YOUNG PEOPLE ATTEND JANUARYS
GET INTO CREATIVE EMPLOYMENT EVENT
Birmingham Hippodrome
Birmingham Museums Trust
Birmingham Opera Company
Birmingham Rep
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Blue Whale
Craftspace
Creative Alliance
DanceXchange
The Drum
Geese Theatre Company
Ikon
Sampad
Sonia Sabri
Trilby
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ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANISATIONS
OFFERING PAID ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS
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Images Copyright Pete Ashton
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Assistant Technician Apprenticeship with The Drum Arts Centre
Example Duties from this Role
Assisting with sound, lighting and other technical
support for all Drum events and activities.
Assisting in the preparation and set up of all Drum
spaces as required for events and activities.
Assisting in the delivery of all technical requirements for
all performances, and other spaces daily.
Wardrobe Assistant Apprenticeship with Birmingham Royal Ballet
Example Duties from this Role
Assisting with getting shows to and from storage to the Running Wardrobe
Assisting with uncovering shows and systematically checking
each costume in order to determine whether it requires laundry,
maintenance, repair, preparation for dry cleaning or remaking.
Helping to ensure that costumes are ready for ttings, rehearsals and performance.
Learning and Engagement Apprenticeship with Craftspace
Example Duties from this Role
To assist programming team with planning, developing,
delivering and marketing its work.
To assist with curatorial projects comprising liaising with
artists, organising activities and marketing activities.
To assist with youth engagement programmes comprising recruiting and
communicating with participants and planning and organising activities.
Creative Apprenticeship Roles
What kind of jobs are there?
TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE CREATIVE APPRENTICESHIP AND
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE GO TO:

WWW.CREATIVEALLIANCE.ORG.UK/GET-INTO-CREATIVE-EMPLOYMENT-BIRMINGHAM-2014
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How to get involved in the Creative Employment Programme
Do you want to employ a
creative apprentice or an intern?
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www.creative-employment.co.uk/
the-creative-employment-programme
The Creative Employment Programme aims to tackle youth unemployment
by providing paid opportunities for unemployed young people to gain access
to on-the-job training, skills and experience in the arts and cultural sector.
It also aims to change recruitment culture in the sector by helping to diversify
the workforce and provide fair access and progression routes in the long term,
to help the sector to meet its economic potential.
CA Link 01
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How to get involved in the Creative Employment Programme
Do you want to employ a
creative apprentice or an intern?
Ive seen 10 young people on JSA,
anyone of whom I could appoint now.
Weve 100 names of young people who
we know are interested in our internships
and apprenticeships - fantastic result.
This has been a great opportunity to tell
16-24 year olds about what we actually do
and recruit them to our young peoples
programme - never mind the quality of young
people were seeing who we could recruit.
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Punch is an authentic, music-
driven arts organisation in
the heart of Birmingham,
working nationally and
internationally. We spoke to
Kieran Thompson, Events
and Project Assistant at
Punch, about the journey
he took to his rst
full time work in the
creative industries.
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My university experience was lacking. I
studied Video Production, and even though
I learned the technical skills I needed it just
wasnt hands on enough for me. I wanted
to be out and about with the camera rather
than sitting with lecturers. I graduated
anyway, but without the industry experience
I just couldnt get into the paid work I needed.
Music Potential was really the
starting point that changed things for me.
I enrolled on the programme, which was
run by Punch, in August 2012. Its aim was
to give 16 25 year olds in Birmingham
some hands on experience in the creative
industry while learning the theory behind
it and key employability skills. I was able
to put the technical skills I had learned at
Uni into practice in professional situations
skills I still use now at Punch. The Breaking
Through employability skills sessions that
Creative Alliance ran with the group were
great as well. I was a rough diamond, and
they showed me how to present myself
professionally and how to make the most
of the skills I had. It meant I had a better
chance of succeeding in whatever I went
for next.
What I went for next turned out to
be closer than I expected. Punch advertised
an internship opportunity, which I applied for,
and the rest as they say is history. I was made
a full time, permanent member of staf after
6 months, and now I work on Punchs many
tours and events that we run throughout
the year. I develop new ideas and strategies
for tours, including news ways of promoting
them and how we can work with other
collaborators. I still use my video production
skills too, redening Punchs video content
and nding new ways of engaging young
people through it. Im also working on Music
Potential 2014. Its weird to be working on
it when last time I was on the other side,
but Im looking forward to helping another
group of people who are in the situation that
I was in not long ago.







In my experience its so important
to network and get involved with projects
and other events. You never know who
might help you get to your next step. Also,
make sure you get all the experience you
can; a degree isnt worth much if you have
no idea about working professionally in your
industry. Thats what Ive learned on my
never-ending journey to world domination.
I was a rough diamond...
they showed me how to
present myself professionally
and how to make the most
of the skills I had.
For more information about Music Potential 2014 and details of
applying for the programme email waqar@punch-records.co.uk
For more information about Creative Alliances Breaking Through
employability skills sessions email sam@creativealliance.org.uk
APPRENTICE TO LEAD DESIGNER
CHARLIE BARRINGTON-OSBORNE
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Ive always been creative from a young age;
throughout school Art was my favourite
subject. After school I went on to study
at Warwickshire Colleges Art school in
Leamington Spa where I completed two
courses; the First a BTEC National Diploma
in Multimedia and the second a Foundation
Diploma in Visual Communications.
University wasnt right for me so after this I
looked into apprenticeships.
I wanted to be able to study the
theory, learn the practical skills and gain real
project experience. Theres no comparison
to seeing your work being used in the
actual environment it was designed for,
instead of sitting in a project folder on your
lecturers desk. I knew people who were
doing apprenticeships, although not in the
creative industry. I thought there must be
some creative apprenticeships out there,
and I eventually found the Trilby position
being advertised by Creative Alliance.
Now I lead all the design for
Trilbys internal and client projects, within
a small software development team. In
the past Ive worked on small web design
jobs but certainly in the last 6 to 8 months
my primary focus has been designing and
developing user interfaces for some large
software development projects.
Im currently working on Trilbys
product range. Our rst product is currently
in pilot phase and is being tested in four
of our partnership schools. The product
is called TrilbyTV and works across iPad,
Mac and Windows platforms. Its used to
give purpose to the technology schools
have invested in by letting them share and
showcase their multimedia projects.
My advice to others would be
to think about what you want from an
apprenticeship as a whole, and not just
the qualication. That might be thinking
about the kind of company you look for to
get an apprenticeship with. For example
with a bigger company you might have a
lesser role, whereas at Trilby theres only ten
members of staf so you have a much more
active role in terms of being involved with
clients and projects.
Charlie Barrington-Osborne is lead designer at Trilby, an established software
development business in Birmingham. He spoke to us about his decision to
do an apprenticeship, his experience of the programme and where he is now.
To nd out more about the work that
Trilby do visit www.trilby.co.uk
To see Charlies personal website visit
www.c-bo.co.uk
I wanted to be able to
study the theory, learn the
practical skills and gain
real project experience. I
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BAREFACED
PIONEERS
Bareface Media are pioneers in more ways
than one. Having recently been awarded
the Creative Director of the Year award, they
are certainly holding their position at the
forefront of Birminghams digital industry,
but theyre also out in front when it comes
to nding and recruiting new creative
talent. We talked to Simon Morris, director
at Bareface Media, about how they took
on a design apprentice through the IPAs
Creative Pioneers scheme, a nationwide
search endorsed by the UK Government
to nd the next generation of advertising,
digital and creative talent; launching for its
second time in Birmingham for 2014.
We all know there is a massive brain
drain down to London, but we
are determined to keep young
talent in the West Midlands, so
last year we took part in the
Creative Pioneers challenge, a nationwide
scheme to nd the next generation of
designers, marketeers and digital natives.
It was a chance for us to employ
an apprentice. Having been involved with
work experience previously we know that
all the skills necessary within the wider
business sphere arent always there, we
want to ensure we are working towards
creating a supportive network across the
company; taking on an apprentice has
given us the opportunity to develop other
members of the team.
We were introduced to Noel
and Creative Alliance, the regional hub
for Creative Pioneers, who found us
a range of candidates by promoting
and advertising. Creative Alliance then
helped short-list those candidates to
nd the right ones to go to interview.
There has been clear business
benets with having our successful
apprentice Ryan around. Its been great to
have another pair of hands and another
perspective on things. Hes also able to
oat between various areas of the team,
supporting and assisting when necessary.
Were now taking part in the 2014 Creative
Pioneers Challenge, and are looking
forward to seeing the next wave of new
talent coming through into the industry.
For more information about Bareface Media and the
work they do go to www.barefacemedia.com
For more information about the Creative Pioneers
scheme go to www.creativepioneers.co.uk
APPLICATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 2014
APPRENTICESHIPS OPEN 3RD MARCH 2014.
FOLLOW @GICE_BIRMINGHAM ON TWITTER
TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE VACANCIES.
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Through the Next Generation programme
we have developed a range of creative
programmes to challenge, inspire and
reinvigorate the creative resilience of young
people across the city and beyond. The
Next Generation programme of events and
activities ofer a supportive environment,
which enables young people to safely
navigate the creative industries, enabling
them to develop their creative practice.
The young people who are
currently hitting the ages of 16-24 have
grown up as children in the optimistic
noughties and came slap bang into a long
and uncertain recession where the creative
industries has taken a hit. In Birmingham
we are currently faced with about 20% of
the population under 25 and roughly 25%
of those are currently not in education,
employment or training, so it is important
that we continue to seek new and exciting
ways to support those young people who
are lost in the transition, translation and
communication of the society thats laid
out before them. We need to utilise the
skills, energy and experiences of like-
minded young creatives, to support other
young people, particularly those who are
misguided or who are struggling to see a
positive way out of their situations.
We need not work in isolation or
in a silo, there are some fantastic charities,
youth agencies and individuals out
there doing some sterling work and its
crucial that we recognise who they are
and how we might collectively take this
challenge forward to make positive strides.









We need to feel more condent
and assured when articulating the
importance of creative transactions; the
ephemeral; the life afrming; the things that
make us cry or scream, dance and sing and
make us who we are. And most crucially
of all we must continue to enable young
people to go through a process of creative
discovery, enabling them to use creativity
to deconstruct the worlds around them, to
help ensure clearer pathways, that provide
an environment for play, experimentation,
and risk taking Above all else we need to
continue to provide creative exchanges that
move, provoke and inspire young people to
achieve, and do what they want to do and
be who they want to be.
TheNextGenerationNow
Daniel Whitehouse is the Next Generation producer at mac Birmingham. He talks to us
about macs Next Generation programme, which provides creative opportunities for young
people in challenging circumstances and those at the start of their creative journeys, through
to supporting young emerging artists to follow their creative pathways.
Young people have come
came slap bang into a long
and uncertain recession
where the creative industries
has taken a hit.
A FREE 20 week design project
for 16-19 year olds in Birmingham
Starting March 11th
at The Custard Factory
Create and Curate
@create_curate_
Learn from design professionals;
Work on real design briefs;
Curate your own design exhibition;
Complete an Arts Award.
Fashion Design; Graphic Design;
Product Design; Prop Design; Set Design.
For more information
email: sam@creativealliance.org.uk
call: 0121 771 0391
A FREE 20 week design project
for 16-19 year olds in Birmingham
Starting March 11th
at The Custard Factory
Create and Curate
@create_curate_
Learn from design professionals;
Work on real design briefs;
Curate your own design exhibition;
Complete an Arts Award.
Fashion Design; Graphic Design;
Product Design; Prop Design; Set Design.
For more information
email: sam@creativealliance.org.uk
call: 0121 771 0391
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CA Link 01
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Upcoming Events
Creative Journeys Birmingham:
Meet the Professionals
14/03/2014
Thinktank, Birmingham

An invaluable chance to introduce your
KS4/5 students and their teachers/
lecturers to working in the creative and
cultural sector.
Create and Curate
Starts 11/03/2014
Custard Factory, Birmingham

This is a FREE 20 week design project
for 1619 year olds in Birmingham.
Workshops in: Exhibition Design;
Fashion Design; Graphic Design;
Product Design; Set Design.
Learn from design professionals;
Work on real design briefs;
Curate your own design exhibition;
Complete an Arts Award.
Facebook: Create and Curate
Twitter: @create_curate_
For more information about any of these events email
info@creativealliance.org.uk or call 0121 771 0391
Transversal Visit
31/03/2014 - 04/04/14
Custard Factory, Birmingham
Creative Alliance are welcoming vocational,
education and training specialists from
around Europe to participate in a weeks
activities looking at apprenticeships and
education in the creative and cultural sector.
Traineeships
Traineeships are education and training programmes designed to give
young people aged 16- 18 the skills employers want young people to have
for apprenticeships and entry level jobs in their companies. Because its
education trainees are not paid by their employer.
Could you offer quality long term work experience to a talented young
person needing a boost to get them their frst apprenticeship? If you can
wed contribute expenses towards your time for supporting that young
person. To fnd out more about becoming a Traineeship employer please
email noel@creativealliance.org.uk
EMPLOYERS WERE WORKING WITH
Creative Alliance
213 Scott House, Custard Factory
Gibb Street, Digbeth
Birmingham, B9 4AA
0121 224 7308
info@creativealliance.org.uk
@create_alliance
Connecting Industry,
Education and Creativity in
the Midlands and beyond.
CA Link is designed and edited by
Credits
Creative Alliance are the leading independent
learning provider in the Creative and Cultural
Sector in the Midlands. We work with people
of all levels to help them to get into and get
on in the creative industries. We are also the
largest deliverer of creative apprenticeships
in the region.
For more information about all of our ofers
go to www.creativealliance.org.uk
Indy Bhogal
Design Apprentice
Samuel Jones
Design & Projects
Coordinator
Sophie Cooper
Design Apprentice