A wide range of training and skills development needs are required to address the growth and future changes in the industry in order to reflect the diverse range of specialist, creative and technical skills needed in the film industry.

Craft, technical and production skills associated with the film industry will remain in high demand which is of concern as the craft and technical grades represent an ageing workforce.  However, individuals will need to develop a better understanding of how different industries in the media inter-related, and the impact of new technologies. 

Business and company development skills are in high demand in the production industry to ensure that companies (particularly SMEs) are able to progress.  The demand for these skills range across: general management; development of entrepreneurial skills; human resource issues including recruiting, retaining and developing staff; people management; and business development and finance.

Currently, in Britain, there is little practical experience or expertise in the digital film industry.  This technology will have a major impact on the production, post-production and exhibition of film so greater understanding and skills are needed.

Over the next six years in order for the industry to develop, there will be a need for people within the higher level occupations associated with business and creative strategy to develop skills around product innovation, deal structuring, investor relations, cross-media ownership, fluency in Internet Protocol issues and extended scheduling skills moving across channel, across platform and across time.

A key challenge is training the freelance and mobile workforce, supporting SMEs and their skills development through investment. 

Training provision needs to be better organised to ensure that future skills demands are met.  This will be difficult because of the large number of SMEs, high levels of freelancing and the industry’s preference for on-the-job coaching

Better alignment and provision is needed between existing FE and HE provision within the industry to ensure that the needs of both new entrants and the continuous professional development of the existing workforce are met.

Source: Skillset 2005a