A UK Government-commissioned report suggests a lack of information, understanding and support is preventing young people from working in creative sectors including film and TV, music, visual arts, advertising and video games.

The research reveals that although nearly one in three (31 per cent) of young people aged 11-18 years old express an interest in pursuing jobs in the creative industries, nearly half (49 per cent) do not know what skills or qualifications are needed to work in the sector.

It comes as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is launching the ‘Discover! Creative Careers’ campaign to increase awareness, consideration and uptake of creative careers among young people aged 13-17 years old, as well as their parents and carers.

“To keep the magic of our creative industries alive, we must nurture a new generation of talent by demystifying creative jobs and breaking down the barriers currently blocking young people from diverse backgrounds,” stated Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy.

Through this campaign, and as part of our Plan For Change, we will launch more young people into exciting creative careers in their communities – building skills, countering misconceptions and raising awareness about the opportunities available.

The campaign has been co-created and co-delivered with trade body CreativeUK and skills provider ScreenSkills. It is supported by organisations including Channel 4, Ubisoft, Netflix, National Youth Theatre, Co-op Live, UKMusic, WPP and UCAS.

Campaign ambassadors include former Coronation Street and Holby City star Angela Griffin, broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake, BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Deb Grant and TV producer Cameron Roach.

The campaign kicks off with a month of awareness-raising activities across England, Wales and Scotland. Running from November 1st-30th 2025, ‘Discover! Creative Careers Month’ will provide young people ages 11-18 years old with employer-led experiences and opportunities, exposing them to the world of work in the creative industries.

Alongside the Discover! programme’s month of nationwide activities, the campaign prioritises six regions identified in the Government’s Industrial Strategy: Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East of England, West of England, West Midlands and West Yorkshire. These areas have growing creative sectors with businesses ranging from gaming studios to advertising agencies, and film production to digital marketing companies.

The campaign will demonstrate to young people of all backgrounds that their interests can be turned into creative careers, and showcase real-life, accessible pathways into these regional creative sectors. It will feature social media, online video and digital advertising on YouTube, Reddit, Meta, Snapchat, UCAS and games such as Minecraft, as well as across advertising spaces and screens in target regions.

The campaign also features a content series made with grassroots organisation Black Creative Trailblazers. The group will help to reach underrepresented communities in the creative industries by facilitating discussions within their network and increasing access to resources, showing young people how they can professionalise their passions.

The Discover! Creative Careers Campaign is part of the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan which was announced in June alongside a £380 million investment package to drive innovation, regional growth and private investment in these high-growth sectors.

Other key findings from the research include:

• 23 per cent of young people aged 11-18 years old believe there are no jobs in creative industries where they live
• 36 per cent of young respondents from a C2DE background feel there are no people like them in creative careers
• 16 per cent of 11-18 year olds said that they believed jobs in creative industries are only available in London
• 32 per cent of parents of 11-18 year olds think creative jobs are insecure, with this perception being more prevalent in target regions than London
• 50 per cent of young people aged 11-18 say creative jobs are “interesting” and 44 per cent say they “allow you to pursue your passion” – the top motivators for young people

“I’m supporting Discover! Creative Careers as I want to spread the word that getting involved in the creative world is for everybody, no matter where they are from,” commented Griffin. “There are affordable accessible routes that don’t involve having to go to university. I want to encourage young people and let them know that they do belong, they can do it and help them realise their dreams.

Sarah Gregory, Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Creative UK, added: “Creative UK is proud to partner with employers from across the breadth of the Creative and Cultural Industries to deliver this year’s expanded Discover Creative Careers Month and to engage young people from some of the UK’s least advantaged communities with the possibilities of a creative career. We are delighted to have this year’s activities elevated by a new DCMS funded communications campaign which has been supported by Creative UK and task & finish group members including the Advertising Association, WPP, Ubisoft, ScreenSkills, Ukie, Channel 4, PRS Foundation, IPA, BPI, and UK Music, along with JC Decaux, Outsmart and Discover Month partners to amplify positive messages about careers in our sector.”

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Tags: creative industries, DCMS, Department for Culture Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy