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Key Routes - Career Area Options
Career Area
CREATIVE & MEDIA
Creative and MediaThe Creative and Media sector is very wide ranging - from the entertainment industry, publishing, arts and crafts to marketing and advertising. The main areas are:
  • Advertising
  • Crafts
  • Design
  • Music
  • Performing arts
  • Visual arts
Some areas are highly competitive. Those who succeed in the creative industries or make a name for themselves don’t rely just on their talent and have usually continued their learning. Although creative flair is essential for nearly all jobs, a strong commercial awareness, good business skills, team work and computer literacy are also important, particularly for those who are self-employed.(Source: jobs4u)
This area looks at just four different job areas in the Creative and Media sector, with three possible career routes for each:
Diplomas
Click above to go to the Diplomas
You can get your qualifications by taking vocational courses or studying while in employment as well as by the more traditional full time education route. The important thing is to choose a route that suits you.
Remember these are career pathways, and you usually take a break from study and get on or off the pathway at any point!
Mature students without formal qualifications are advised to talk to their local nextstep provider www.nextstep.org.uk One year Access to Higher Education courses give adults without formal qualifications the chance to study at degree level. Contact individual colleges and universities to discuss their entry requirements.
Additional sources of information
The Sector Skills Council for the audio-visual industries is Skillset www.skillset.org
Creative & Cultural Skills is the Sector Skills Council for advertising, crafts, cultural heritage, design, music, performing, literary and visual arts www.ccskills.org.uk
Your Creative Future has career information www.yourcreativefuture.org.uk
The Open College of the Arts (OCA) offers distance learning courses you can take in your own time www.oca-uk.com Courses are accredited by the University of Glamorgan and credits can be put towards university qualifications through the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS). OCA has a specific credit transfer agreement with The Open University www.open.ac.uk
Once in your job there are lots of opportunities for Continuing Professional Development, including developing higher level management skills or studying for a professional qualification such as Marketing.
Photographer image
What else should I be doing?
There’s a lot you can do to help you on your creative career:
  • get part time work and holiday jobs in a creative environment
  • look for work experience that involves customer service
  • take part in Aimhigher activities such as summer schools
  • take part in enterprise activities to develop your business skills www.young-enterprise.org.uk
  • consider volunteering – such as helping to design or produce newsletters
  • improve your keyboard and IT skills
  • improve your teamwork and personal (key) skills
  • develop your problem solving skills
  • get involved with amateur dramatics to develop your confidence and communication skills
  • keep up to date by reading industry magazines such as Creative Review www.creativereview.co.uk
  • take some distance learning courses from the Open College of the Arts www.oca-uk.com
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