How Apprenticeships Can Enrich the Creative Industries with Socioeconomic Diversity
The creative industries are at a crossroads when it comes to apprenticeships. While traditional sectors like law or finance have embraced these opportunities, the creative fields are trailing behind. This disparity isn't just a missed chance for younger people looking for work; it's stopping companies from finding the talent they need.
Apprenticeships offer a compelling alternative to university, blending learning with earning. This pathway is particularly vital for those who cannot afford a degree due to financial constraints or the need to earn a living. Yet, despite the apparent benefits, many creative roles continue to be gatekept by the requirement of a degree, or connection, regardless of its relevance to the job.
The introduction of the apprenticeship levy in 2017 was a bold step towards enhancing workforce skills and offering diverse career pathways. However, research from the Social Mobility Foundation highlights a troubling trend: the levy has predominantly benefited learners from more advantaged backgrounds, thereby failing to fully leverage apprenticeships as tools for social mobility.
Since the levy's implementation, there's been a significant decline in apprenticeship starts, with learners from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experiencing a 36% drop compared to a 23% decrease among their more privileged peers. This decline is even more pronounced in creative sectors, where apprenticeships are scarce and planning them is deemed challenging due to the non-linear nature of creative roles.
Other barriers are making it harder for young people from LSEBs to gain spots on apprenticeships. Whether this is a lack of opportunities in their areas or the financial and logistical challenges of commuting, more needs to be done to make apprenticeships accessible so that they can serve as a powerful driver of social mobility.
The creative industries have a unique opportunity — and responsibility — to address these disparities. By establishing more creative apprenticeships, we can offer a more accessible and equitable path to employment for all, regardless of their socioeconomic background. This not only benefits individuals but also enriches the creative output and societal impact of the sector.
The creative sectors must recognize and act on the immense value apprenticeships can bring, not just as a means to diversify the workforce but also to enhance creative innovation and societal impact within their organisations. Creating official ways in like apprenticeships in creative fields requires effort, but the result of this is better work, happier staff, and improved business.
By working with organisations like Creative Mentor Network, businesses can navigate the challenges of setting up apprenticeships and tap into a pool of talent that brings fresh ideas and perspectives, and learn more about how to make your business more socioeconomically diverse.
