This new report recommends that we integrate creative and technical subjects into the curriculum from the earliest years.
CreaTech, published 11 Feb 2025 by The Royal Anniversary Trust and the Department of Culture, media & Sport. The authors write:
'The intersection of creativity and technology is reshaping not only the UK’s Creative Industries but also the broader economy. At the core of this transformation lies CreaTech, where creative people, ideas and businesses converge with emerging technology to produce new products, services, and experiences. CreaTech’s influence reaches across sectors such as film, gaming, architecture, advertising, and education, illustrating its capacity to act as a powerful driver of both economic and cultural development.'
The report's recommendations are based on extensive research and consultations with experts from academia, industry, and government. The first of five recommendations relates to education, skills; diversity and access:
1. Drive a CreaTech skills revolution
Education reform is needed to build a robust skills pipeline, starting with the integration of creative and technical subjects from primary to secondary school education and progressing through targeted, CreaTech-specific programmes in further and higher education. There is a need to build new models to ensure that universities and colleges can bring in those working in industry to upskill those in formal education. Additionally, ensuring that people from all backgrounds can access these educational pathways as part of lifelong learning opportunities is essential for building a workforce which benefits from the full diversity of the UK population.
Sir Damon Buffini, Chair of the Royal Anniversary Trust, writes:
'Skills: We need a radical overhaul of our education system. We must integrate creative and technical subjects into the curriculum from the earliest years. Colleges and universities must actively collaborate with industry to anticipate tomorrow’s challenges, not just today’s. Lifelong learning must evolve, so professionals can adapt and thrive in new markets.'