On a recent visit to Newcastle, Tom Bewick, chief executive of Creative and Cultural Skills (CC Skills), acknowledged the critical role the North East plays in the country's creative economy, pledging to work with partners and employers in the region to help boost skills.

His visit follows the release of new labour market intelligence about the creative industries in the region.  Although the North East has one of the lowest numbers of employees in the creative and cultural industries at just 14,000 people (only Northern Ireland has fewer), it contributes over £415m to the region's economy. The biggest issue, however, facing employers in the North East is recruiting new staff, with over 50 per cent of employers claiming there are little or no applications (compared with the UK-wide response of less than 30 per cent). Over a quarter of businesses in the region claim that there are skills gaps too.

To help address this, CC Skills are developing four flagship projects including planning the first-ever National Skills Academy for backstage and technical skills, a nationwide project that will be delivered across the UK through a series of partnership hubs.  Each hub will harness the skills, staff, buildings and facilities of the music and theatre sectors in its area. 

Included in CC Skills programme of qualification reform for the creative industries is the launch of the Creative Apprenticeship - the first apprenticeship framework to be developed with the creative industries, for the creative industries.

In addition to helping people get into the sector, The National Skills Academy will focus on continuing professional development and improving information, advice and guidance for the cultural sector - a vital skills need for these industries. Creative & Cultural Skills is also launching Creative Choices -an online web portal for everyone seeking to get in or get on in the creative industries, this April 2008.

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