Dawn Bowden MS, Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, and Chief Whip
I am informing Members about the launch of a new three-year Creative Skills Action Plan (2022-2025) and Creative Skills Fund which delivers against the Programme for Government commitment to establish a Creative Skills Body.
I have previously advised Members that this Body will be delivered internally through Creative Wales with an enhanced Creative Wales skills and talent function and a new core advisory panel to guide its work.
The Creative Skills Advisory Panel was established in May 2022 and is made up of 10 professionals from the music, digital content and screen sectors as well as union, broadcaster, training, further education and higher education representatives and a diversity and inclusion champion.
The Creative Skills Action Plan (2022-2025) has been shaped by the Advisory Panel, with final sign off through the Creative Wales Non-Executive Board. It seeks to address the skills needs of the three priority sectors; music, digital content and screen in the short term, as well as considering the long-term needs which will ensure Wales continues to have a thriving creative sector.
The Plan also seeks to support and enable Programme for Government commitments including but not limited to delivery of the Young Persons Guarantee, giving everyone under 25 the offer of work, education, training, or self-employment and the creation of 125,000 all-age apprenticeships
The Creative Skills Advisory Panel will continue to advise on the delivery of this live document and will review it bi-annually to ensure it is addressing the needs, opportunities and challenges of the creative industries in Wales during its three-year delivery period.
The Creative Skills Action Plan (2022-2025) is being launched alongside a new circa £1m annual Creative Skills Fund, which will look to support projects that deliver against the 10 identified priority areas set out in the Action Plan, namely;
- Business and Leadership Training
- Talent Support
- Improve Diverse and Inclusive Recruitment
- Entry Level Placements and Opportunities
- Upskilling Placements and Opportunities
- Education and New Curriculum
- Careers Awareness
- Innovation
- Bridging the Gap Between FE/HE and Industry
- Wellbeing of the Workforce and Support for Freelancers
Collaboration and close working with other parts of the Welsh Government and industry stakeholders is key to the Plan’s success and Creative Wales will look to continue its ethos of genuine partnership working to align activity and identify opportunities for joint action.
The fund will be open until 7 November and we are looking for excellent, collaborative projects which help to deliver against these priorities and provide excellent opportunities for those working in the sector or seeking to work in the sector from all backgrounds.