New investment for creative employment

Create Gloucestershire announced today that it has secured investment of just under £50,000 to create 19 new employment opportunities in the cultural sector for 18-24 year olds. These will open up new entry routes into Britain’s fastest growing industry at a time when many young people are struggling to get a foothold in the world of work.

Create Gloucestershire announced today that it has secured investment of just under £50,000 to create 19 new employment opportunities in the cultural sector for 18-24 year olds.  These will open up new entry routes into Britain’s fastest growing industry at a time when many young people are struggling to get a foothold in the world of work.

The roles include opportunities in marketing, curation, finance, technical and administration for both apprentices and interns.

The 9 employers are based across Gloucestershire in key urban centers (The Wilson Art Gallery, Axiom and Creative Solutions in Cheltenham, the Roses in Tewkesbury,  GDance and Art Shape in Gloucester) and in rural areas (Prema Art Centre in Uley, Hawkwood College outside Stroud and Artspace Cinderford in the Forest of Dean). 

These employers, plus one in Bristol (Spike Island), will build new strategic partnerships with Job Centers to recruit young unemployed people into the creative industries.  The consortium submitted a joint bid to the Creative Employment Programme run by the Arts Council with seed funding from Grow Gloucestershire, a County Council programme to scope the project.

Pippa Jones Director of Create Gloucestershire says “This is a really fantastic and entirely new opportunity for young people to either kick-start a career in the cultural sector or propel those already working to the next level.  It’s also a great example of how Create Glos works- it is unlikely that any of the 9 employers would have taken on an apprentice on their own but by working together as a consortium we have been able to bid together, share admin responsibilities and achieve significant economies of scale”

Cllr Mark Hawthorne, Leader of Gloucestershire County Council says: I think it’s great that Gloucestershire businesses are doing all they can to give employment opportunities to the young people across the county and I’d encourage all other businesses to follow their example.  

"The skills taught in apprenticeships and internships not only provide our young people with valuable work-life qualities, but also help to build the county's economy and strengthen local businesses." 

Sara Whybrew, Director, Creative Employment Programme says “Creative & Cultural Skills is delighted to be supporting members of Create Gloucestershire with these fantastic new job opportunities. It is brilliant to see this group of organisations working together and using the CEP to develop the future talent for their local cultural sector.”