Nurturing Northern talent is vital to media's future survival
12 June 2009
Senior media figures will gather in Leeds on Friday June 12 to hear how developing and nurturing talent in the North of England is vital to the survival of the Creative Media Industries in this tough economic climate.
Business leaders from across industry, including Skillset Board Director and new Director of BBC North, Peter Salmon, will focus on the major challenges facing the regions against a background of recession, global competition and technological changes, at an event being held by Skillset's Northern Media Skills Panel.
Where: The Blue Room, 42 The Calls, Leeds, LS2 7EW
When: Friday, 12 June, 2009, 1-3pm
What: Lunch reception to hear about what is happening to support the Creative Media industries in the North. This will include speeches by Tom Gutteridge, Managing Director of Standing Stone and Chair of the Skillset Northern Media Skills Panel, Sally Joynson, Chief Executive of Screen Yorkshire speaking on behalf of the Regional Screen Agencies across the North and Skillset Chief Executive Dinah Caine. The event will also highlight major advances taking place across the North, including:
- Leadership and Management programmes tailored to creative media available in each region.
- Skillset's Train to Gain Leaders@lunch seminars in Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle, where businesses can apply for £1000 training bursaries. These begin on July 23 in Liverpool.
- Crossover - a digital convergence programme that generates new "cross platform" ideas and business models.
- Three highly acclaimed Skillset Media Academies at Liverpool John Moores University, University of Teesside and Yorkshire and Humber Skillset Media Academy. Initiatives include Endemol - one of the country's leading production companies and responsible for the likes of Big Brother - expanding its relationship with Northern Media Academies for its undergraduate and new entrant training programmes.
Tom Gutteridge, Standing Stone Managing Director and Skillset Northern Media Skills Panel Chair, said: "Investing in local talent is vital to growing businesses across the North of England, particularly against a backdrop of recession and strong global competition. The area has a highly skilled, flexible and creative workforce."
Skillset Chief Executive Dinah Caine said: "There is a huge talent pool in the North of England and many exciting developments are planned, such as the opening of mediacity:uk in Manchester. But we can't rest on our laurels - the media industry, public sector and education must work together to do everything they can to make sure our northern-based industries survive and thrive."
For lunch attendance or media enquiries please contact:
Jennifer Walters
e: jenniferw@skillset.org
t: 0207 713 9812
Notes to Editors
- Skillset Northern Media Skills Panel is made up of senior industry representatives, including Galaxy Radio, Trinity Mirror, The Press Association, BBC, Century Films, ITV and Channel 4. It provides strategic leadership for a Northern wide approach to skills in the industry, including planning and investment. Its objective is to make sure that creative media businesses across the North can maintain and develop a highly skilled workforce able to compete with the best in the world. For a full membership list, please visit Skillset Northern Media Skills Panel.
- The Skillset Media Academy Network is a national footprint of colleges and universities that work with industry in developing the new wave of media talent. The network has been devised by Skillset and is made up of 19 Academies, drawing together creative education partnerships from 47 colleges and universities across the UK.
- Skillset is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Creative Media which comprises TV, film, radio, interactive media, animation, computer games, facilities, photo imaging and publishing. SSCs are licensed by the UK Government and by Ministers in the devolved administrations to tackle the skills and productivity challenge by sector. They are independent, UK-wide organisations, are employer-led, and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the industry.