Production Futures is currently running a series of ON TOUR events, where young visitors from schools, colleges and universities all over the UK are able to directly connect with representatives of its brand partners to learn more about and explore employment opportunities in the industry. The next event will take place in partnership with Access Creative Group at New Century Manchester on 3 May 2023.
This free of charge event, which will be opened by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, will promote employability, transferable skills, and paid work opportunities, and is set to attract a wide range of young people from across the North-West. Jason Beaumont, CEO Access Creative College, welcomes the event: “The Access Group is so proud to be hosting Production Futures in Manchester! Engagement with employers and work experience is vital to a young person’s development. Working with employers to ensure young people are ready for such an exciting industry is central to our ethos and we look forward to a fantastic day at New Century/dBs!’’
Many brands will be present, alongside a number of leading supply and production companies, distributors and venues, to provide information and insights, and discuss specific job and training opportunities. This flagship event will deliver a packed schedule between 10am and 6pm which includes panel discussions, inspirational keynote speakers, live demonstrations, giveaways and competitions, as well as valuable networking opportunities.
Industry workshops will offer young visitors the chance to engage in a wide range of activities, from preparing to be job-ready with industry-oriented CVs, to hands-on exploration of lighting programming, CAD, audio networking, as well as getting under the skin of music production, virtual production and event planning.
In the Production Futures Live Lounge, there will be the opportunity to meet future employers and discuss current paid work opportunities, internships, apprenticeships, freelance opportunities, placements, and full-time jobs.
Production Futures CEO, Hannah Eakins is delighted to be bringing this latest ON TOUR event back to Manchester: “Our ON TOUR events have been a great success, attracting and then inspiring hundreds of young people to pursue careers in what is a hugely exciting and rewarding industry. The significance of the sector to the UK economy shouldn’t be underestimated, and a huge skills shortage across the board means that the next generation is well-placed to make a real impact. Very often, we find that youngsters are simply unaware of the variety of opportunities that fall under the umbrella of the production industry. Our aim is to increase the visibility of these opportunities, and in doing so improve the prospects of the whole industry.
“We are thrilled that Andy Burnham will be opening the show, and to have the Greater Manchester Combined Authority behind us. It has never been more important for the live events and broadcast industry to meet the next generation of young production talent, and for this to be recognised by Andy is fantastic for our industry and for the young talent across Greater Manchester.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, supports Production Futures’ mission: “Greater Manchester is known around the globe as the birthplace of ground-breaking music, culture, film, and TV, but that’s only made possible by the expertise and dedication of thousands of people working behind the scenes in our creative industries.
“There are so many opportunities to get involved but often people don’t know what those routes are, or how their transferable skills could open up new possibilities in the arts, in digital, in tech, or in business. By offering up those opportunities and helping to develop those skills, Production Futures is paving the way for the next generation of professionals in our thriving and evolving creative industries.”
Another feature of the Manchester event will be the launch of the new-style Production Futures Breakthrough Awards, as Eakins explains: “The Production Futures initiative originated as The Breakthrough Talent Awards and have been a fundamental part of our mission from day one. This expanded format takes us back to the roots of Production Futures and why we wanted to recognise young talent. We began as a very small awards ceremony in 2016 that sought not only to mark the achievements of young people in the production industries, but to inspire the next generation coming through.
“Since those early days, with the support of key industry partners, we’ve grown to become a community for real opportunity – the past 6 years have produced 22 winners of the Breakthrough Talent Awards who are now occupying significant roles at a wide range of companies, or have become successful, in-demand freelancers with the skills and confidence to meet any challenge. As our Production Futures ambassadors, they continue to be a huge part of our community and we are proud of all they have gone on to achieve.
“We’re pleased to be increasing the number of award categories to better reflect the wide range of roles and skill sets required across the production industry which rely heavily on transferable skills such as computer science, architecture, engineering and business management, as well as the traditional events management, music, TV, film, media and live technical skills. We are in no doubt that we’ll attract a huge number of nominations – the talent is definitely out there, it’s our job to keep finding it!”
To find out more about the Production Futures event and to reserve your free place, please visit the event listing on Eventbrite.