On 29 March we held an event in association with MEDIA Antenna Wales to celebrate the launch of the Skillset Academi + programme of short courses.

The event took place at the University of Wales, Newport and featured course taster sessions, a networking lunch and speed networking with BBC Wales, S4C, MEDIA Antenna Wales, Film Agency Wales and the Welsh Government. Participants were able to discuss development funding with representatives such as:

• Meirion Davies, Margaret Hughes and Elin Morris, S4C
• Kathryn Wolfe-Adams, Welsh Government
• Elis Owen, BBC Wales
• Judy Wasdell, MEDIA Antenna Wales
• Tracy Spottiswoode, Film Agency Wales

The 35 participants came from all over Wales – including Llanelli, Trefforest and Cardiff – and left some fantastic feedback:

“This was a brilliant event. I can’t believe we were able to sit and chat informally with key figures in the Welsh creative industries.” – Tracy Burton, Freelance Writer

“Great day @AcademiPlus launch! Speed networking was good, really useful for creative professionals! #SAPlus” – @NerR1

“@AcademiPlus great to meet you today…thanks for all your efforts…it ran smoothly and was really useful. Thanks again.” – @RedBeetleFilms

“Very inspiring.” – Marilyn Court-Lewis, Freelance Writer

“Great day at the @AcademiPlus workshop taster event.” – @GetHigherWales

Marketing for Creative Industries helps participants understand entrepreneurial marketing for creative businesses that are in the early stages of development.

The course highlights the central role of marketing and innovation in the creation of competitiveness within organisations, as well as the need for contextual marketing approaches that create competitive advantage within constantly fragmenting market spaces.

We had a great couple of days on the Marketing for Creative Industries course earlier this month and the course will be running again – so sign up for our mailing list to keep updated. Sign up here.

We had a great couple of days on the Marketing for Creative Industries course earlier this month.

Marketing for Creative Industries helps participants understand entrepreneurial marketing for creative businesses that are in the early stages of development.

The course highlights the central role of marketing and innovation in the creation of competitiveness within organisations, as well as the need for contextual marketing approaches that create competitive advantage within constantly fragmenting market spaces.

The course will be running again so sign up for our mailing list to keep updated. Sign up here.

Here’s a snapshot of what we got up to…

Skillset Academi+ Launch Event:

Free taster sessions and speed networking for creative professionals

 

To celebrate the launch of our new short courses, we are inviting creative professionals to come and find out what we are all about.

 

On 29 March the EU-funded Skillset Academi +  will be hosting a free event in association with MEDIA Antenna Wales at the University of Wales, Newport. The day is open to all and will include free Skillset Academi + course taster sessions. Participants will also have the opportunity to meet the staff and talk through their specific training needs.

Skillset Academi+ offers full and part-funded, flexible, bite-sized short courses in film, TV, animation, interactive media, games, radio, fashion, publishing and photography – covering everything from business development to high-level craft skills. Participants have the opportunity to develop their technical or business skills, network with industry professionals and learn new ways to grow their business.

The courses are designed and delivered by our higher education partners, the University of Wales Newport, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Swansea Metropolitan University and Aberystwyth University, in conjunction with industry professionals. Each of the courses will have at least one established industry expert as part of the delivery team.

After a morning of taster sessions, a networking lunch will be followed by speed networking with BBC Wales, S4C, MEDIA Antenna Wales, Film Agency Wales and the Welsh Government. This will allow participants to discuss accessing development funding with representatives including:

-          Geraint Rowlands, Interim Director of Commissioning, S4C

-          Margaret Hughes, Head of Business Affairs, S4C

-          Elin Morris, Director of Corporate and Commercial Policy, S4C

-          Kathryn Wolfe-Adams, Business Development Executive, Creative Industries Sector, Welsh Government

-           Elis Owen, Head of TV Commissioning, BBC Wales

-          Judy Wasdell, Manager, MEDIA Antenna Wales

-          Tracy Spottiswoode, Development Executive, Film Agency Wales

 

The Skillset Academi+ scheme is funded by the EU’s Convergence European Social Fund (ESF) through the Welsh Government and is part of the Work Based Learning scheme. If you are in private sector employment or are self-employed and live and/or work in West Wales, North West Wales and the Valleys, you may be entitled to a full or part-funded  place on the range of courses offered by Skillset Academi+.

 

 

The Skillset Academi+ Launch Event takes place on 29 March 10am-4pm at the University of Wales, Newport City Campus. Entry is free but registration is required.

To sign up click here.

We have launched our first short courses for creative media professionals – check out the COURSES page for information on the Marketing, Accountancy, Pro Tools, Digital Workflows and Film Production courses.

Further details of courses will be published week by week.
All courses will be run in 2012 and again in 2013 and 2014.

Sign up here for our ebulletins to make sure you hear about the courses first!

Creative Media professionals in parts of Wales will benefit from full or part-subsidised  training through a programme worth £1.2million, as Skillset Academi+ is re-launched.

As part of the Work Based Learning programme, Skillset Media Academy Wales and its partners, the University of Wales, Newport; Aberystwyth University, Swansea Metropolitan University and UWIC, the creative media training programme aims to meet the needs of industry employees and freelancers in the Convergence region of West Wales and the Valleys.

Skillset Academi+ was first piloted in Wales from 2009 to March 2011, during which time the scheme assisted over 350 industry professionals by running 54 courses.  Having used this opportunity, which was funded by HEFCW, the Academy has fostered new partnerships with experts and has proven a track record of targeted training appealing to a wide cross sector of the industry. This autumn, the second phase of training will be funded by the EU’s Convergence European Social Fund (ESF) through the Welsh Government.

“The Creative Industries are a key priority sector to contribute to Wales’ economic growth, as identified in the Welsh Government’s Economic Renewal Strategy”, said Hannah Raybould, Project Manager . “ The Media Academy hope to ensure that the projects’ Higher Education partners will play a key role in taking this agenda forward, with a particular focus on up-skilling those already working in the industry.”

“We are really excited to take the Skillset Academi+ programme into a new phase which will allow the University partners to build on their MA and short course portfolios. The team we now have in place is a team who have a track record in delivery of courses for new entrants and who have extensive knowledge of the industry and the training challenges they face.”

Skillset Academi+ project coordinator Alex Leadley has been recruited to the post at a crucial time in the project setup.  Ms Leadley is no stranger to the programme, having worked alongside the pilot team in her role as Media Academy Wales Placement Coordinator. She explains:

“I am delighted to be offered this opportunity to further my involvement with the creative industries in Wales by providing exciting training opportunities to continue the growth and development of those working in the sector and cement the importance of University short course provision within the wider economic and political agenda in Wales.”

She continues: “Research has shown that creative media employees and freelancers see certain barriers to training  including cost, location, duration, and non- flexibility.  The project will respond to these barriers by creating innovate, meaningful and adaptable training across a range of sub sectors to include animation, photography and design.”

“This autumn and into the spring we will be launching 30 short courses, which cover areas identified by Industry and endorsed by Skillset Cymru as adding the most value to employees and their companies, including, business development,high level craft skills and leadership and management skills.  All courses will require 30 hours of contact time with tutors and participants will have the option to gain credits towards an MA.”