The Screen Skills Plan will help to establish the borough as a leading hub in the UK’s evolving screen industries
Barnet Council has launched a Screen Skills Plan to establish the borough as a leading hub in the UK’s evolving screen industries and help residents, young people and graduates gain skills and access jobs in film, TV, gaming and digital media.
Developed in partnership with Middlesex University, Barnet and Southgate College, Troubadour Studios and local industry leaders, the plan sets out how the council will work together with education providers and employers to provide clearer routes into screen-sector jobs and training. It will promote local opportunities and support entry into careers through skills training, mentoring and work experience.
Barnet is already home to major studio facilities including Troubadour Brent Cross Studios and London North Studios alongside several community theatres and performing arts venues such as Arts Depot and HighRise Theatre. With screen production on the rise, the demand for local talent, training and creative infrastructure is growing.
The Screen Skills Plan focuses on four key delivery pillars:
- Education – strengthening pathways from schools into higher education and industry-ready training
- Entrepreneurship – supporting freelancers, start-ups and creative businesses
- Environment – ensuring Barnet has the right physical and digital infrastructure for environmentally sustainable production
- Equal access – expanding opportunities for residents and students from all backgrounds
Cllr Barry Rawlings, Leader of Barnet Council, said: ‘The Screen Skills Plan sets out a coordinated approach to growing Barnet’s creative industries workforce. By bringing together the council, education and industry we aim to create real pathways into inclusive, high-quality career opportunities for our residents while supporting the growth of the local creative sector across the borough.’
Dr Helen Bendon, Head of the School of Film at Middlesex University said: ‘We have excellent facilities, educators and industry professionals in the borough, and the Barnet Screen Skills Plan will help consolidate and build on that expertise to create and develop an ecology that is more visible and brings more talent and investment to the screen industries in and around the borough.’