Creative Skills Academy

The Creative Skills Academy focuses primarily on the screen industries, which employ more than 211,000 people and have a turnover of £40 billion per year. With around 24,000 businesses operating within the industry, an impressive 70% are based in London and the Southeast.

About the Creative Skills Academy

• The Creative Skills Academy provides training to help people get into a wide range of jobs in the film, TV, animation, visual effects and games sectors, from supervisors, production carpenters and costumiers, to 3D animators, game developers, technicians and production managers, as well as legal, support and administrator roles.
• Our Creative Skills Academy works with employers to design education programmes that will give the industry the skilled people they need to help their businesses grow and safeguard the future of the sector.
• We are the first college in London to actively encourage underrepresented groups to consider a career in the screen industries, providing free skills training, employment packages, and financial support to assist with courses and qualifications across various industry sectors and grades.
• In addition to the academic curriculum, the Academy can enhance your career opportunities with funding for driving lessons, first aid training, and master classes.

Potential careers can include:

• 3D animator
• Data wrangler or VFX assistant
• Games developer
• Legal or business manager
• Production accountant
• Set carpenter or electrician
• Software and hardware engineer
• Various production roles

Courses can include:

• 3D artists and animation
• Content creation
• Finance for freelancers
• Graphic design
• Hair and makeup
• Props and production design
• Set carpentry and decorating
• Sound and staging

The Quality Mark

• Our Mayors Skills Academies are all credited by The Quality Mark which identifies our academies to be excellent, industry-relevant training in the capital. The Quality Mark Statement also represents our commitment to including a combination of sector-specific questions and wider cross-cutting issues like diversity and inclusion, sustainability, Good Work and the engagement of underrepresented groups.

Flexible training

• We provide free training opportunities and support packages to help you get a job in the screen industry. We do this by providing bespoke, flexible programmes that fit your circumstances and availability. We aim to give you the confidence and skills you need to be employable within three to four weeks, and a guaranteed job interview with an employer accredited with the Good Work Standard. For those who need that extra support, we work with ESF Academies to ensure everyone can benefit from our Academies and sector opportunities. 

Training includes:

• Short two to three weeks introductory courses
• Online bitesize learning from Level 2 to Level 6 qualifications
• Masterclasses for in-demand roles, delivered in partnership with employers
• Day and week-long boot camps
• Sector-based work combines training and work experience, leading to guaranteed interviews and employment
• Film fixer’s ‘set ready’ training, which includes masterclasses, participatory seminars and Q&As with industry professionals who will provide insight into the industry across a range of disciplines
• Personalised information, advice and guidance, career advice and help with job searches
• Tailored sector employability workshops 
• Award in employability Level 1 and Level 2
• Advice and guidance for self-employment

You can also access a wide range of personal and ‘soft skills’ training, and individual support to address your barriers to training and employment:

• Workshops in specific personal and employability skills, for example, resilience and communication
• Multiple step-on and step-off points for greater flexibility
• Free additional courses up to Level 3 in a wide range of areas
• Personal tutors
• Mentoring programmes
• Apprenticeships and work experience including pre-apprenticeships and pre-employment courses
• Industry engagement and career support sessions with employers
• Equipment best practices
• Help with job applications, writing your CV and cover letters

Our facilities
We offer a wide range of facilities and equipment including:

• Classrooms and lecture theatres
• TV, film, and music studios
• Computer suites
• Event, conference, and meeting rooms
• Use of high-spec digital media and IT equipment

Industry employers
Over 23 employers within the screen industries sector have already pledged their support to work with us to help you develop the confidence and skills you need for a career in film, television, animation, visual effects, and games including:

• Film London
• ScreenSkills
• Warner Media
• NBC Universal
• Netflix
• Sony Pictures
• Frame Store – Animation & VFX
• Blue Zoo Animation
• Jellyfish
• Angels
• Troubadour
• Lupus
• London North Studios
• MBS Group
• Two Brothers
• Fable Pictures
• Sony
• Enfield Council
• NextGen
• Sports Interactive
• Flavour Works
• Pinewood Studios
• Twickenham Studios
• Location Collective