For those of you feeling that the state of the jobs market is pretty unsteady and unpredictable right now, an announcement earlier this year might have just given you a glimmer of hope if you are studying or have graduated with a creative degree.
Andy Burnham, Creative Secretary announced that more than 5,000 creative, music culture jobs would be created in May thanks to over £1.1 billion worth of funding. This will include relevant job roles with orchestras, arts organisations, heritage bodies and the music industry.
As more universities are catering their degree courses to students wanting to go down more vocational creative routes, these ‘real’ jobs will help to boost the hopes of graduates coming out of university knowing that there will be more opportunities out there for them.
The Culture Department is already working with the cultural sector to put together partnerships including music and arts leaders such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England, the National Museums Directors Conference and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.
However, we really need to get the message out there about the availability of these creative jobs to graduates who have previously found that they have gone undergone careers not associated to the skills and training acquired in their degrees. We’ve already helped Faye Priest, a Visual Graphic Design graduate from Birmingham City University bag her dream job with local company, Marshmallow Creative.
It’s not a matter of compromising when it comes to finding an industry you’re passionate about, as Faye has proved to graduates in the West Midlands!