Member Article

Flow Creative announces partnership with The Manchester College

Flow Creative - the award-winning motion design agency - has announced its official partnership with The Manchester College (TMC).

The news follows a successful test period of working together to help develop the city’s future animation talent by bridging the gap between the classroom and the workplace.

Students on the Motion Design and Animation Diploma, which is A Level equivalent, will benefit from work experience placements at Flow’s new Northern Quarter studio. Lectures are also scheduled to be delivered from the agency’s team in college as well as invitations to exclusive talks hosted at the office.

Senior creatives at Flow worked closely with the college’s media department to set live briefs, agree the name of the course and advise on its content. The new formal agreement will mean more students can access invaluable studio experience that will help give them the best chance to progress onto further study or in the industry on completing their qualification.

Karl Doran, creative director at Flow Creative, said: “There’s a huge gap between education and industry that can make it hard for students to progress well when they leave. We’re trying to help ease that transition by making the course as industry relevant and contemporary as possible.”

He added: “Having studied animation myself at TMC, I appreciate the challenges for the students as well as the course leaders, and understand the value of work experience in real creative studios. Now that I’m in a position to collaborate with the college and help the current learners I’m very happy to do that. Becoming an official business partner of theirs fills us with pride and we look forward to meeting more future creatives.”

The partnership has already been recognised by the Educate North Awards, which shortlisted the partnership in the BUSINESS/INDUSTRY COLLABORATION category. It has commended Flow for advising on the course’s modules and providing invaluable work experience for the students.

Sarah Brewster, project manager at Flow, added: “I benefited hugely from being on an animation course with fantastic links to industry - it’s how I got my first job. Being able to offer that to students now the shoe’s on the other foot feels brilliant. I hope we’re able to inspire students at TMC and give them a true impression of what it’s like to work in a creative studio as it really is priceless.”

Katy Rushton, an animation course tutor at The Manchester College, said: “Flow has been massively insightful to work with - they’ve been a big help in making the course the best it’s ever been. To be shortlisted for an award for our partnership bears testament to the great work we’ve been doing together. We’re over the moon to make the partnership official and the students and future students are super lucky to have a studio like Flow as mentors and advisors. Many of our students are not from backgrounds where they would know anyone working in the creative industry in Manchester, so this provides them with invaluable experience, and a foot-in-the-door that they wouldn’t be able to have otherwise.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by lucy yates .