Creative Workforce for the Future - Placement Call (closed)

Are you ready to work in the creative industries but struggling to get a foot in the door?

Do you need more experience? Professional contacts? More work for your portfolio? Mentoring to achieve your goals?

Apply for the Creative Workforce for the Future placement scheme. Applications have now closed.

Creative Workforce for the Future is a new programme by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and the European Social Fund (ESF). It will enable talented young people to gain the experience required to sustain creative careers in sectors such as film, broadcast, digital production, animation and post-production.

What will the scheme offer me?

You will undertake a 48 week paid placement.
You will develop your experience, C.V., portfolio, industry contacts.
You will have access to a network of people (called the Talent Network) offering opportunity, industry expertise and advice.
You will be connected to creative businesses and provided with a dedicated mentor to work with you throughout your placements.
You will be equipped with the tools and know-how to sustain a career whether in employment or while freelancing.
In addition the companies you will be placed with will receive training to support them to become an employer that is more inclusive.

To check whether you are eligible to apply, please read the eligibility criteria below.

Phase One: January to July 2020

You will undertake a 24 week placement at a cultural hub in Bristol or Bath in the creative industries. You can apply to one of six cultural hubs. Each cultural hub offers specific experience in addition to the key skills you will develop wherever you are based. You can read about what to expect at each hub at the bottom of this page. Read carefully and consider which one hub will be the right fit for your skills and ambitions.

During your time at the cultural hub you will develop the skills to thrive in a creative business environment. You will be an active participant in a Talent Network with peers, which will provide further opportunities, industry expertise and advice. You will also receive support and guidance from a dedicated mentor who will work closely with you. You will meet regularly to discuss your career progression and further placements.

Phase Two: July to December 2020

You will spend 24 weeks at two small to medium sized creative media companies matched to your skills and interests.

During your placements, you might focus on disciplines such as film, broadcast, digital production, animation, or post-production. Your mentor will continue working with you throughout your placements to support transitions, career development and your experience within the companies.

Phase Three: Post-placements

The Talent Network will continue to offer support and opportunities as you begin your journey into paid work in the creative industries.

If you apply for the scheme and are not selected to undertake a placement, you will be invited to become a part of the Creative Workforce for the Future Talent Network managed by Rife, with opportunity to hear about jobs, attend free masterclasses and events and connect with industry.

Am I eligible to apply?

You must be:

aged 18 - 30 years on first day of placement
a UK resident
have a National Insurance number registered at an address in the West of England (Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire)
NOT currently enrolled at University or at University when the placement starts
available for 4 days per week for the entire placement period (27 January to Christmas 2020).
able to demonstrate relevant training/skills for working in the creative industries, e.g. you have a University degree, BTEC, GNVQ or other vocational/practical course or relevant experience demonstrating skills, e.g. through work experience, an apprenticeship or training programmes such as Eight Creative Agency, New Creatives, BFI Film Academy, or a portfolio of outstanding work.

This is a positive action scheme, which means we are specifically inviting applications from those not currently widely represented within the creative industries in the region.

This scheme is therefore only open to those who either/or:

are from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background
identify as someone with a disadvantaged socio-economic background

(eg. Type of school attended at age 11-16, free school meal eligibility, parental experience of higher education, carer status, parental occupation when you were aged 14, parental housing situation when you were aged 11-16)

What will I get paid?

All participants will be paid a training allowance of £270.00 per week based on 32 hours/week.

You will be paid through a training contract which means that you will not need to pay tax or national insurance over the amount.

Holiday: you will be entitled to pro-rata of 28 days holiday during the 48 week Placement Period

How long is the training contract?

The contract is 48 weeks, from 27 January to Christmas 2020

4 days per week with some evenings for network opportunities or events where appropriate

We are looking for young people who:

are eager to learn, develop new skills and knowledge, and actively participate in meetings, sessions with your dedicated mentor and professional development;
are organised, self-motivated and reliable and can be on time for work;
are looking to hone communication skills and have productive working relationships with colleagues, peers and those that you work with;
have a genuine passion for creative work and a desire to work in the creative / cultural industries;
want to develop confidence, professional networks and awareness of the career choices available.

How to apply

Applications have now closed.

For any queries: creative.workforce@bristolbathcreative.org

Hubs you can apply for:

The Guild - Digital Marketing (closed)

At The Guild in Bath you will be focussed on helping promote the space as a unique community of creative and tech freelancers through the use of social media and digital marketing. You will be working alongside our friendly and helpful Guild members, and be given access to some great media creation and management tools. Your mission will be to help us shout about the great things that happen here, and you’ll end your placement confident that you can confidently help other companies with their social media and marketing strategies.

At Bristol Museums you will be a key part of the project team working on a range of exhibitions. There will be a focus on diversifying our art collections, and will include work on the forthcoming John Akomfrah and Yinka Shonibare exhibitions, plus contributing to changes to our permanent galleries. You will help develop the project aims, objectives and outputs of the exhibitions, and the interpretation and design brief including audience development strategy. You will also contribute to ideas for the associated events programme, and to the marketing and branding for the exhibitions.

Knowle West Media Centre - Video Production (closed)

At Knowle West Media Centre you will get the chance to work on a range of video production briefs, mentored by experienced filmmakers, to further develop skills in shooting, editing, pre- and post-production. You will also support the day-to-day running of our digital agency, Eight, and have the chance to create a social justice project inspired by issues identified by young people in Knowle West.

Join the team at Spike Island, an international contemporary arts centre, to work on all things digital: from online content creation for our website and social media, to improving digital accessibility for our diverse audiences. You’ll be working within Spike Island’s busy communications team, alongside curators and producers, and within a dynamic community of artists and creative businesses.

At Watershed's Rife Magazine you will be one of our Content Creators – creating and publishing articles, videos and photos - about the stories you care about, that will resonate with other young people living in Bristol. You will be supported by the Rife Editors to drive the direction of the magazine and to produce an impressive portfolio of content that will get online reach. You will also produce events, deliver workshops and represent Rife at festivals and careers fairs. Rife’s home is Watershed so you connect with the whole organisation and develop contacts that will be invaluable as you progress onto your industry placement and in your ongoing career.

Creative Youth Network will be providing support and placements for those interested in working with artists to produce, manage and programme new work by emerging young artists. This will include programming a gallery space, and supporting new commissioned work.