1 Executive Summary
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To contextualise these issues, we have sought to identify the future trends that will affect the sector, and especially the impact of continuing technological developments on the industry, its workforce and its skills needs. In particular:
Further to these recommendations, we have identified a number of priorities for action by Skillset:
"Photography is an amazing discovery: A science, which engages the most advanced intellects, and an art which provokes the most profound minds: and yet its use lies within the capacity of the shallowest idiot." - Felix Nadar, 1820-1910.
The following document has been compiled following widespread industry consultation and feedback. This process was vital for informing the action plans that will be developed as a result of this strategy, to ensure that they fully represent the needs of the industry.
The Photo Imaging sector addressed in this strategy comprises:
- Photographers
- Picture Libraries and Agencies
- Laboratories
- Manufacturers
- Photo Retail
- Support Services
- There is an urgent need to raise the level of digital imaging skills and awareness
- Many individuals have gaps in their general transferable life, work and business skills
- Experience is often valued more than vocational qualifications
- There is a perceived oversupply of new entrant Photographers
- There is low awareness of the wide range of career opportunities the sector offers
- There is an urgent need to raise the profile and credibility of the industry as a whole
- Training solutions need to be more flexible, modular and easily accessible
To contextualise these issues, we have sought to identify the future trends that will affect the sector, and especially the impact of continuing technological developments on the industry, its workforce and its skills needs. In particular:
- The blurring of traditional sector boundaries will necessitate working closely with other related sectors and will require an understanding of related disciplines.
- The rapid pace of technological change will require businesses and individuals to have market awareness and the flexibility both to adapt rapidly to new business opportunities and challenges, and to apply skills to new equipment and processes. New approaches to working practices that have remained unchanged for many years will need to be sought.
- Widespread access to the Internet and the opportunity it presents to quickly and easily share images will make an understanding of intellectual property rights and how to protect them increasingly important.
- Strong, mutually beneficial, links between industry and education will be increasingly vital to ensure the industry has the skills it needs; it is essential that new entrants fully understand the realities of working in the sector and the myriad opportunities it presents, in order that they set realistic expectations for their future careers.
- Policy makers, funders, other relevant bodies and industry should work together to provide real business support for companies.
- Employers need to recognise the true value of training, and especially of industry support for educational institutions, and avoid treating purely it as a cost.
- The various trade bodies and associations should work together and with Skillset to tackle the issue of 'dumbing down' in quality and standards that is felt to be at the heart of many of the sector's problems.
- Financial incentives to encourage training, such as tax credits for employers and employees, should be investigated.
- Industry should provide more opportunities for work placements and apprenticeships, supported by government and relevant bodies.
- Funding should be more readily available to support individuals, and freelancers in particular, in maintaining their on-going professional development.
- Opportunities to learn mentoring and coaching skills should be promoted to companies and individuals.
- Skillset will investigate possible sources of funding for the sector's small and micro-businesses to help them develop and improve their digital skills and invest in the digital equipment.
- Skillset will continue its work to update the National Occupational Standards for Photo Imaging in consultation with industry.
- Skillset will develop a Foundation Degree framework in Photo Imaging, in consultation with industry.
- Skillset will investigate ways to make training more accessible, more attractive and more affordable for Photographers and other practising professionals within the sector.
- Basic work and life skills should be a crucial part of 14-16 education.
- Creativity and visual literacy should be central to the school curriculum and combined creative and technical thinking should be encouraged.
- Information and Communications Technology (ICT) literacy should be taught in an applied way throughout the curriculum.
- Schools should teach the health and safety aspects of working with computers and digital equipment.
- Schools should ensure that children are aware of the concept of copyright and are taught to understand the constraints surrounding the use of material created by others.
- Curriculum developers and teachers should seek ways to make business and management related subjects attractive to young people.
- Policy makers need to make it easier for industry to work with schools and for schools to enlist the help of companies and industry organisations when designing courses.
- School staff should have access within their own Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to the introduction and application of digital imaging technology.
In seeking to address the skills gaps and shortages identified in this strategy we recognise a wide range of stakeholders and influencers, including the industry, schools, further and higher education and training providers. The report makes a number of recommendations that impact upon, or can be influenced by these stakeholders and influencers. At present these recommendations are at the first stage of development, but will become more specific through subsequent work with appropriate action groups, at which stage they will also be linked to on going policy reform or existing policy.
A brief, top-level summary of these draft recommendations follows. However, the recommendations which appear in section eight should be read in full as these are more detailed and provide further contextualisation.
Company and Workforce Development
Schools
- More work experience placements and sandwich courses should be made available to enable students to balance their academic learning with experience of its real-world application in the workplace.
- Courses need to be more relevant, flexible and respond rapidly to changing industry needs.
- Funding should be identified so that private sector industry experts can work in further education on day or longer-term release, or on secondment, to provide up to date industry relevant knowledge and input to courses.
- Private sector expertise should be used both to teach students and help academic staff develop their awareness and understanding of the industry.
- Course funding bodies should only fund vocational courses where there is clear evidence that they meet the real needs of industry.
- Policy-makers and public sector bodies should explore opportunities for funding so that private sector experts can work in education without having a detrimental affect on their businesses.
- HE institutions should ensure that degree courses are flexible and modular, include coverage of current business practice and management within the sector.
- Skillset will work with industry and education to facilitate links and encourage the two groups to work together for mutual benefit.
- Skillset will consider a course accreditation scheme and will work with industry to establish priority subjects for accreditation.
- Employers should continue to communicate their skills needs to Skillset.
- Skillset will work with careers advisors in education and training to improve their understanding of the full range of opportunities in the Photo Imaging sector.
- Skillset will work with all publicly funded careers services to improve the advice they give about Photo Imaging careers.
- Skillset will encourage email enquiries and establish a network of specialist practitioners to deal with them.
- Skillset is currently carrying out a detailed scoping exercise in order to assess the best way of continuing its programme of research within the Photo Imaging sector.
Higher Education (HE)
Careers Advice
Intelligence Gathering
Further to these recommendations, we have identified a number of priorities for action by Skillset:
- Develop a Foundation Degree Framework for Photo Imaging
- Review and revise the National Occupational Standards for the sector
- Work with Awarding Bodies to review provision of vocational Photo Imaging qualifications
- Facilitate better links between colleges/universities and industry
- Develop an accreditation scheme for short courses
- Investigate the barriers faced by industry with regard to Apprenticeships and NVQs
- Develop business skills solutions to support SMEs and freelancers in the sector
- Continue to develop the Photo Imaging section of the Skillset website to provide an invaluable resource of information and guidance
The findings and recommendations identified in this strategy will now be subject to further consultation and negotiation, on a more detailed sub-sectoral level. They will also form part of the Sector Skills Agreement that Skillset is making with government and funders, and which will influence the public policy and funding landscape for the Photo Imaging sector throughout the UK for many years to come.
