A looming skills shortage in the creative economy?
The creative economy is at risk of falling into a looming skills shortage, even though the number of jobs in the sector doubled between 2011– 2019. The Creative PEC’s latest State of the Nation report on further education shows there was a 57% drop in creative subject FE enrolment and a 63% drop in Crafts, Creative Arts and Design enrolment in England between 2014/15 and 2022/23 (aged 19+) – compared with a 31% drop across all subjects. The report points to a need for a sharper focus on the quality and labour market relevance of FE as well as the extent to which courses retain students, support their success and enable their progression to further study or the world of work.
Students feel they’re being steered into T Levels, rather than making their own, informed choices. They also think that the qualifications are not well established - and their favourite part is the industry placement, according to the Edge Foundation’s interim report on T Levels.
Creative degrees are undervalued in national datasets, according to The Value of Creative Graduates, a new report from higher education body Guild HE and United Kingdom Arts and Design Institutions Association (UKADIA). Using earning metrics alone does not capture the complex nature of creative careers, as many creative graduates aim for self-employment, portfolio careers, freelancing and entrepreneurial endeavours.
The Cultural Learning Alliance (CLA) reports that in the last year (2023-24) there was a slight increase in Art & Design GCSE entries (5.2%) and in Design & Technology (2%) but the trend 2015-2024 is a decline in GCSE Expressive Arts subjects of 34% (defined as Art & Design, Dance, Design & Technology, Drama, Media/Film/TV Studies, Music and Performing/Expressive Arts).
There has been little change in the A Level entries in Art and Design subjects but the decline since 2015 is 17%.
The Association of School and College Leaders says A-level entries have collapsed in creative arts and technology subjects since the introduction of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) in 2011. The teachers’ union is calling for the EBacc to be scrapped.
But … Creative UK highlight how creative businesses are key to growing the economy. Participants in the nine-month Creative Growth programme in the South West of England included Wedge Studio, a Newquay pottery studio, and Stitches &Cream, an independent yarn shop.
Historic England’s research into creativity finds that cultural heritage can positively impact economic development by boosting creativity. The report suggests that regions with high levels of creative talent perform better at wealth creation.