The great creative paradox – a skills shortage on one side, a locked door on the other.

We often chat with other folk in the creative industries – agency types most often, but film producers, writers and loads of others too. Everybody talks about a shortage of skills – not so much the technical, more the thinking. Our industry needs creative and critical thinking as much as it ever did, but it seems in short supply.

The data backs up the claim. According to the Creative PEC, 65% of hard-to-fill vacancies in our sector come down to acute skills shortages – far higher than the wider economy. For higher-skilled roles, that number jumps to a staggering 78%.

On the other hand, talk to any recent grad, and they’ll tell you a different story – the door is locked. Try getting an entry-level job when everyone’s looking for experience and the cost of employment has skyrocketed.

It’s a self-defeating loop. We want fresh, brilliant, left-field thinkers – the ones who look at the world sideways – yet it’s harder than ever for them to get a start. But experience isn’t unattainable. It’s just a matter of someone giving you a shot.

That’s why we started Creative Futures. To break the current cycle and actually do something to address the thing that could make a big difference to our industry, and the fresh new talent trying to get into it.

I think, if we want the creative and digital sector to thrive (name drop!), we have to come together and invest in the people coming up behind us.

If you do too, I’d love to chat about how you can get involved – just drop me a note, d.powell@wethrive.agency