Member Article

Creative Sector Comes Together For Free Tyneside Careers Conference

The region’s budding music, software, film and TV stars have been invited to attend a free event at Newcastle City Library this month as the North East’s creative digital sector does its bit to foster the talent of tomorrow.

The Ladders Creative Careers Conference - the brainchild of the Newcastle-based business support agency Generator - will take place on May 23rd in collaboration with This is Creative Enterprise and has been billed as must attend for 17-24 year-olds who are planning a career in the creative industries.

The conference will offer guests the opportunity to gain an insight into careers in music, film, TV, animation and software development and will be showcasing some of the region’s industry and educational experts who will discuss the opportunities that lie ahead.

Generator’s Enterprise Development Coordinator, Louise Henry, explains: “The careers conference is an opportunity for young people to ask questions, discover options and see what their chosen industry looks like through the eyes of others.

“Rather than looking at stalls and exhibitors, they’ll be hearing from employers, freelancers and educational institutions, and their tips for getting ahead of the game. We want to give people options, and open doors, showcasing what the North East has to offer.

“As a sector, we can be incredibly guilty at whinging about talent retention and development, yet do nothing about it. I firmly believe that if you’re not engaging with young people then you’re part of the problem. Schools can’t keep up and react fast enough, so it’s up to us to provide routes into the industry for young people.”

The one-day event will see a timetable filled with interactive guidance that young people need to help inform their next steps and will hear some inspirational career stories all the way.

Generator will deliver a session to explain what it is that the organisation does, will chat about the opportunities available to young people via the Ladders programme, and will offer advice and guidance on the skills they need to get that much-needed foot in the door.

Meanwhile, Ladders delivery partners This is Creative Enterprise (TICE) - a national award-winning non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting young people in exploring the creative and digital sectors – is confident the region’s creative talent will take much from the May 23rd gathering.

Jennifer Barrett, Managing Director of TICE, and organiser of the event adds: “We work alongside young people on a daily basis and they fundamentally all have the same question, “Which direction do I choose now, is it, a degree route, an apprenticeship route, a freelance route or a mix of all three?”. Therefore, for this conference, we have decided to focus on that question. For the day, we have brought together large companies, educational advisers, apprenticeship networks and they can give that advice.

“Our first year of Ladders has been a fantastic experience. Working alongside, Generator, Youth Focus and Foundation Futures has successfully created a programme that can genuinely give young people (17-24yrs) an insight into the creative and digital industry. We have had two very successful cohorts with fantastic results of employability to business start-up in the Newcastle area. Now we look forward to moving Ladders into Sunderland from September this year.”

To further information and to book your place at the event, visit www.thisiscreativeenterprise.com or email louise@generator.org.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jane Crosby .