The region’s content creators are calling on young people from across the West Midlands to join an innovative new skills Bootcamp.
Create Central – the West Midlands trade-body set up to turbo-charge the region’s film, TV and games industries – is working with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), which has funded the scheme, to help young people gain content creation skills sought after by every industry.
The Bootcamp will help young people with a talent and enthusiasm for producing eye-catching content for websites, blogs and social media, for platforms from Twitter to TikTok, YouTube to LinkedIn, to develop those skills into the start of a career in content creation.
Create Central members who are leaders in the field of content creation have helped to shape the Bootcamp content and businesses from a wide variety of industries are offering real-life work experience for existing gaps in their businesses, with a guaranteed job interview at the end.
Create Central and the WMCA have teamed up with Solihull College & University Centre, which will provide the skills training.
The Bootcamp will consist of an intensive month-long programme followed by a real-to-life work placement at a West Midlands business looking to develop their digital media skills capabilities.
The bootcamp will train people in basic filming and editing, enabling trainees to produce professional standard content for corporate websites and social media. Trainees will also gain an understanding of business, marketing and how to make a company’s brand appealing through the content they create.
Lisa Cleaver, head of school for visual performing arts and media at Solihull College & University Centre, said: “After the success of the TV Production Bootcamp pilot, we wanted to bring in other industries – these skills are valuable for every business. We are delighted to be working with Create Central and the WMCA on this exciting project. It gives us the opportunity to work alongside industry to develop meaningful training which directly prepares people for the realities of a career in digital media. Every aspect of this programme is being co-designed and delivered with leading content creators, including adhering to latest guidance on working in a Covid-safe way, it is set to be an engaging and exciting programme.”
Providing young people in the West Midlands with these fantastically transferable skills provides them with a solid base to build their careers and provides the region with the talent pipeline to demonstrate it really is the Home of Original Storytelling.
Create Central was developed with national bodies including the BFI, ScreenSkills, Ukie, Creative England and the Creative Industries Federation to build on the region’s existing creative and cultural talent and take it to the next level, helping to drive investment, growth and new jobs.
Chaired by international industry heavyweight Ed Shedd, Create Central’s members have a wealth of industry experience and expertise including Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, award-winning directors Daniel Alexander and Justin Edgar and Lee Wilcox CEO and Co-founder of Electric House – one of the fastest growing social media and publishing groups in the UK.
Find out more about the bootcamp and how to apply.
The closing date for applications is midnight on 23 May 2021.
