The jewellery sector is to benefit from a new investment announced today by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, to extend the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural to benefit the jewellery sector.
Led by Creative & Cultural Skills and a broad range of partners including The Goldsmith’s Company, Holts Academy and the British Jewellers’ Association, the new Skills Academy will build on a significant track record to further enhance and develop career opportunities for talented young people in the jewellery sector, and provide them with the skills needed for the industry to prosper in the current economic climate.
(The jewellery industry employs 7,640 people in the UK and contributes £197 million in GVA to the UK economy per year.)
John Hayes MP, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, said: “It is businesses themselves that are best-placed to identify the skills they need to drive growth. This investment is very good news for the creative industries and will help them to overcome the skills gaps that stand in the way of them meeting their full potential.
The National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural has already demonstrated its success in working with over 200 employers in the theatre and music industries. I am delighted that investment will allow them to increase opportunities in the design, cultural heritage and jewellery sectors.”
Paul Latham, Chairman, Creative & Cultural Skills, said: “We have been building our Skills Academy for the last four years through our initiatives for theatre and music.
It is only through the strength of our existing partnerships, our Founder Colleges and our industry members, that we were able to make the case for this extension project, which will enormously enhance our offer to young people and strengthen the skills base of a range of creative businesses, individuals and organisations.
With this funding, we can now support the further development of higher-level, industry-led apprenticeships, careers guidance, specialist education and training, and new professional standards for all those working in the creative sector. We look forward to working with a wide range of partners in this new three-year development period.”
Peter Taylor, Director Goldsmiths’ Centre said: “The Goldsmiths’ Company and Goldsmiths’ Centre welcome the Ministerial announcement that the National Skills Academy is to be extended, to include Jewellery (Silversmithing & Allied Crafts). Having supported all forms of training within the industry for at least 700 years, through our indentured Apprenticeship Scheme, we believe that the NSA offers a unique opportunity to further develop and encourage training across the sector.”
Simon Rainer, Chief Executive, British Jeweller’s Association added: “The BJA is proud to be associated with the increased scope of the National Skills Academy that embraces the UK jewellery industry. For too long we have been looking for a training vehicle to best represent the needs of our industry. I am delighted that a structured and potentially very productive mechanism now exists for the betterment of our membership and the industry as a whole.”
Creative & Cultural Skills is actively seeking partners in this new development project. Interested parties are invited to attend a series of open meetings which we will be hosting across the country from June onwards. For further information please see www.ccskills.org.uk.
Creative & Cultural Skills is the Sector Skills Council for the UK’s creative and cultural industries. Founded in 2004, we were granted a new licence from Government to operate in January 2010. Our goal is to enable the creative and cultural industries to reach their economic potential through relevant skills and training. We deliver through the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural, a growing network of 20 Founder Colleges and employers working in partnership to improve the provision of creative education and training.
The extension to the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural has been granted by the Skills Funding Agency as part of the Growth and Innovation Fund. Creative & Cultural Skills is also extending the Skills Academy to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales with support from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills through their Employer Investment Fund.