Design industry gets its own skills academy

The academy, which will be led by Creative & Cultural Skills, will work with a range of partners including industry bodies and consultancies to create new programmes which will aim to help young people break into the design industry.

The skills academy model was developed by CCS, and similar initiatives have been running in the music and theatre industries since 2009.

The design skills academy is already working with partners including the Design Council, the Design Business Association, British Design Innovation and the Sorrell Foundation.

Projects currently in place include support for the Sorrell Foundation’s Art and Design Saturday Clubs and a move to set up professional standards in industrial design, with BDI.

A spokeswoman for CCS says further partners are being sought for the academy, including consultancy partners, and those interested are invited to attend an open meeting at the Design Museum on 19 June.

CCS is also recruiting for an academy advisory board, which will steer the academy over its initial three years. Twelve design industry figures will be appointed to this group by September.

A skills ambassador programme will also be set up, and there are plans for a careers progression website, called getintodesign.

The CCS spokeswoman says, ‘This is all about encouraging the industry to give something back and to look at ways of connecting with youngsters.’

Mat Hunter, chief design officer at the Design Council, says, ‘It’s really good news to see the Government show its support for the design industry through this investment.

‘A skills academy will help ensure those who want to get into design and those already working in the sector receive the best guidance and training available. It is now down to designers and design businesses to get involved and make it happen.’