A piece by Ross Barnes Global, CTO at The&Partnership.
There is currently a technology skills crisis in the media and creative industries. This has been driven by short term thinking combined with an attitude of “we’ve always done it this way”. Whilst as a sector, the industry is not immune to the macro factors impacting us all, it is uniquely positioned to be able to respond proactively in areas such as diversity and entry-level investment to help fill the gaps.
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A digital talent wall
Like many other industries, media and creative relies upon technology day in, day out. Ensuring that candidates are au fait with the latest technology stack is imperative for the industry to remain competitive on a global stage.
Today, it is hard for the media and creative industries to attract and keep digital talent. There is a digital talent wall. Not only does the industry need to work together with technology partners to ensure it becomes more attractive to candidates, but it also needs a new way of building the talent pipeline.
It is time to widen the net. For far too long, areas outside of the traditional media hubs have been ignored. Yet, regions such as the West Midlands, with a population of over 2.9 million, are going to be increasingly important to closing the skills gap.
Specialist training with a techie core
Luckily, change is afoot. There are now innovative apprenticeship schemes – such as our own The&Academy – that offer ‘earn while you learn’ digital marketing apprenticeships backed by tech heavyweights such as Google, Meta and TikTok to help encourage more people into the industry. These schemes are set out to empower the next generation of media practitioners by providing specialist training with a techie core.
Not only will apprentices get to learn all about the key technology platforms that underpin the media and creative industries today, but by providing campus visits in addition to classroom learning, apprentices will get to cut their teeth in a modern dynamic office environment. As we all know, these water cooler moments can lead to incremental gains that are simply not possible within the classroom.
Fill in the gaps
Through the power of partnership, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
Companies such as Google, Meta and TikTok understand the value in having as many people as possible know and understand their platforms to continue their relevance well into the future. By working together with initiatives such as The&Academy, they can be instrumental in producing fully-fledged digital generalists that can help fill the gaps that are otherwise in danger of stifling innovation.
