GFirst LEP Creative Tour inspires students

GFirst LEP’s Creative Industries Sector Group took to the road this month, with a tour to inspire and enthuse the county’s students into a career in the creative sector.

Local creative businesses joined GFirst LEP to visit secondary schools and explain the many ways in which the students can embark on a creative career. The creative tour has visited 8 schools across the county, presenting to over 500 students.

More than 25 business people working in creative roles have supported the tour, taking part in question and answer sessions and giving students the opportunity to find out more about the types of creative careers in the workplace.

The Creative Tour was conceived by Sector Group Chair, Chris Isaac from local design agency The Isaac Partnership, who alongside Sector Group members recognised the need to have better engagement with schools to support future recruitment.

The Isaac Partnership produced a video about the creative sector in Gloucestershire, featuring inspiring examples of creative roles. The video features apprentices from the BBC, the Roses Theatre and a local art gallery, alongside interviews with local business people, including a mobile app company, a glass blower, an artist, a musician and a graphic designer; all describing the route to their careers.

Chris Isaac, Chair of the LEP Creative Industries Sector Group, said:

"We were really pleased with the level of interest from the schools. It’s great to know that so many pupils in the county are interested in a career in the creative industries. Our thanks go to the Gloucestershire Association of Secondary Headteachers for helping to drive the project into the schools, and to the professionals from the creative industry who went along to talk to the pupils, sharing their experiences, energy and enthusiasm for their work. As the owner of a marketing and design agency, I feel confident that we have inspired young people to search out a career path that will lead them to our door in a few years’ time." 

Feedback from the students shows that they found talking to business people very helpful, and gave them insight into careers that they didn’t know existed or knew little about.

They also commented on how the sessions had helped them understand the importance of work experience and the range of careers and options available within the creative sector, particularly within Gloucestershire. Other students found that the tour would help them choose their A Level options by understanding the routes into specific careers.  

Jules Owen of the Cotswold Craft Room, based in Winchcombe commented: 

“It’s clear to see that the creative tour has been very rewarding for the students, and it’s been great to see them getting involved in discussions that help them to think about their futures. The variety of creative careers represented by the business people has given the students real food for thought. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the students and hope they feel better equipped to find a creative career path following the tour.”

Steven Mackay, Headteacher at Sir William Romney’s School in Tetbury, added: 

“The feedback from school staff about the creative tour has been very positive, both with regards to the format and the quality of business people interacting with, and challenging, the students. The students themselves found the experience very valuable.”

Schools can get involved with GFirst LEP through the Education Business Partnership, who deliver a variety of programmes in schools to ensure that students are ready for the workplace.

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