Young Londoners learn from the best at Creative Careers 24

On 8 May 2024, the Central London Careers Hub hosted a Creative Careers Event at the prestigious British Library in London. This event provided young people with the chance to engage with professionals from the creative industry. The event welcomed 200 students from 12 Central London schools.

London's creative sector has emerged as a significant growth area, with recent data showing that one in five jobs is now within the creative economy. Following the pandemic, the sector has experienced higher-than-average growth, with over 1.1 million jobs currently and projections suggesting an increase to more than 200,000 additional jobs in the next five years. Recognising this, the Central London Careers Hub saw the importance of connecting young Londoners with the creative industries to raise aspirations and understanding.

To address disadvantage and inequality, the event was first offered to schools with a higher-than-average percentage of students receiving free school meals and lower GBM 5 and 6 percentages. This initiative aimed to provide opportunities for students who might not have previously been exposed to creative career paths, thereby raising their aspirations.

The event was designed to maximise exposure to various career paths and roles within the creative sector. Students participated in a careers fair, interactive workshops, and a panel discussion featuring five diverse industry professionals. This format allowed students to engage directly with professionals, ask questions, and gain valuable insight.

Each student received a personalised booklet containing their tailored timetable, information about the attending employers and providers, and space for reflections. Additionally, students were given a Careers Hub goodie bag, which included a water bottle, notepad, branded pen, tangle focus tool, and careers Pajango cards.

The event featured a diverse group of volunteers from a wide range of organisations, including BAFTA, Frameperfect, The Old Vic, Playstation, NextGen, DNEG, BBC, Mayamada, Saragura, Unpacking the Credits (Mayor of London Culture Team), IDX, ITV, and Investment20/20. Their participation ensured that students could interact with representatives from various fields and business sizes, from micro to large organisations. The feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the engaging and passionate nature of the industry professionals.

Post-event surveys revealed that 100% of students found the event provided useful insights into potential career paths within the creative industries, and all students reported finding the speakers interesting and felt excited about the careers discussed.

Employers also provided positive feedback, with one stating, "I enjoyed meeting the students at the Creative Careers Event. It was rewarding to share my knowledge and insights with them and to learn about their aspirations and ideas. I believe the event was a success and look forward to participating in similar events in the future." Another employer noted, "The event was great, and students were much more engaged than at some other events we've participated in. Thank you for inviting us to take part, and please reach out for future similar events as we work with colleges across the country."

The Central London Careers Hub is proud of the success of the Creative Careers Event and remains committed to providing valuable opportunities for young people to explore and pursue careers in the creative sector.