Creative Industry Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) have published a new report, Creative Further Education in the four UK nations. It is the first report to look at student participation in creative further education (FE) across all four UK nations.
The report shows a ‘severe’ drop in participation, indicating a pipeline shortage for the UK’s growing creative economy.
Headline data includes:
- Creative FE enrolments are declining in all parts of the UK, and at a faster rate than average across all subject disciplines.
- A 57% drop in creative subject FE enrolment in England between 2014/15 and 2022/23 (aged 19+) - compared with a 31% drop across all subjects.
- A 68% drop in creative learning at FE institutions in Wales between 2012/13 to 2022/23.
- A 20% decline in college students studying Creative FE in Scotland (full time equivalent) over the same decade.
- A 28% fall in enrolments on creative subjects at FE institutions in Northern Ireland from 2017 to 2022.
A summary of findings:
1. Creative FE enrolments are declining in all parts of the UK, and at a faster rate than average across all subject disciplines
2. Despite the recent focus from policymakers across the UK, apprenticeship take up remains very low in the creative industries in all four nations
3. Creative FE is highly concentrated in urban cities and regions
4. Retention and achievement rates vary across creative disciplines and UK nations
5. The data we have on the sociodemographic profile of learners in creative FE in each UK nation highlights room to improve diversity and widen access
At the launch a hybrid launch at the RSA, panelists responding to the report said:
Lesley Giles (report co-author): This is a vital report examining what’s happening between schools and HEI. There is an economic imperative. Colleges play a huge part in communities - they support life-long learning. We need to connect what's out there for innovation to grow.
Cath Sezen (Association of Colleges): Barriers include the Ebacc and career education and understanding what creative industries means. The guidance is needed for teachers and parents and carers - so opportunities in these industries are clear. One of the biggest problems is challenging the 'soft-option' narrative. Many people are being directed somewhere else. We need a change in assessment in schools (removing the Ebacc); Equity diversity and inclusion must be at the heart of all our work. We need triangulation: between education, employers and government.
Paul Moore (Future Screens NI): We are living in a time of acceleration of the acceleration - we need to be thinking about what skills are needed for 2040. Skills have changed and we are seeing the most able but the least likely to be involved in these industries going elsewhere. Fundamental issues of EDI with only 8-12% in creative industries were from working class – class underpins EDI.
Sara Whybrew (BFI): Only 8% of workforce in the film and screen industries come from working class. There are jobs for everyone; Education and businesses need to work together - we don’t have children and young people knowing about the screen industries. We need to remove hierarchies and offer parity in provision.
Attending the Creative Education Summit, 18 July in Birmingham, where leaders from across the sector committed to collective action, Michele Gregson general secretary and CEO of NSEAD, said:
'We can’t have a thriving civic society without a thriving creative workforce. We know that the arts make our lives better, in multiple ways. The Creative Industries make us richer - in GDP which we can measure, in joy, which we can feel.
'But we can’t thrive if we don’t understand the challenges that face creative education, and the need for a coherent infrastructure to ensure a joined up, holistic approach to education & the creative industries.'
The trends and findings for creative further education are timely and important for the new government and devolved governments to address. We need the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Department for Education to now work together. Colleges, of FE and adult education are at the heart of communities, offering hubs of skill and knowledge exchange, building and retraining to support local, regional, national creative-industries. These skills are needed now, for 2040 and beyond. Investment in learning is investment in communities.