Interested in a career in creative industries?
Did you know you can play the Wonder What quiz to find out which creative career best suits you!
You can also discover the range of roles, the prospect of work, and where to go for further information at Discover Creative Careers.
Hear from industry experts
We have created a YouTube playlist of useful interviews and masterclasses to give you an insight into the broad range of creative careers you might be interested in. Below are a few of our recent YouTube videos.
Interested in a career in film and TV?
Do you want to make video games and interested in music?
Local artists and the creative industry
Read about how each of these local artists entered the creative industry
How did you get into this creative career?
I got into my creative career in quite the traditional way into my immediate sector. I went from studying International Baccalaureate (IB) (equivalent of A-Levels) to studying the History of Art at university. Whilst there, I started volunteering in the university’s Gallery, mainly stewarding in the galleries themselves, and then saw lots of children coming into the Gallery. I realised that I could combine working in a creative environment with children and young people, without it being in a formal education/school setting!
After my degree I got an internship in that same Gallery for 5 months, and after that I moved to London and volunteered as much as possible in as many different creative organisations as possible, whilst also working part time in a ticket/box office.
Eventually I started to work freelance as a museum and gallery educator, whilst doing my Master of Arts (MA) in Museums and Galleries in Educator (part time over two years). After this, I was offered a part time maternity cover role in a Museum...and from there I just kept going.
It was a lot of really hard work; studying, volunteering, showing interest and going above and beyond. I was really focused in trying to collect as many tools for my toolbelt as possible; meeting lots of people, sharing my interests, listening to their advice, and saying yes to everyone opportunity that came my way!
Stephanie, Learning Curator at Watts Gallery.
We asked Tim Tilley some questions about becoming a children's author:
How did you get into this creative career?
I studied a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, then went onto to study a Master of Arts (MA) in Illustration at Central Saint Martins in London. Outside my studies, I wrote short stories and made self-published books, which I sold at design shops in London.
What are the steps a young person should take to go into this career?
For young authors, write as much as you can. Write short stories, write poems, write flash fiction (there’s usually a word count limit, say 500 words). Keep a notebook or scrapbook with you at all times. Write down ideas for stories, scenes, settings, characters, snippets of conversations. Every story, whether a short story or novel starts with a character and a scene, or a setting.
What advice would you give to somebody looking to get into this career?
Find and follow your passion. You might love writing short stories, comic books, plays. Put in the hours and learn your craft. Writing is a craft. There is so much work that can be improved in rewriting and re-editing. Be prepared to be rejected, every author gets rejected as part of their journey, and have the tenacity to keep going.
What is your favourite thing about the industry you have chosen to work in?
It’s incredibly rewarding seeing your work in print, whether it’s a printed short story, novel or self-published mini book. A published novel is a collaborative process, and I love working with editors, designers and marketing, and my agent to shape my novels.
How did you know this is what you wanted to do?
I’ve always loved storytelling, reading stories, telling stories, and watching stories whether film or theatre. I spent a long time playing out stories in my head before committing them to paper. Writing short stories, and a degree-level project, creating a picture book, helped me realise I wanted to become an author.
We asked Sarah Cuppitt some questions about becoming a design director:
How did you get into this creative career?
I studied at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design before earning a Graphic Design degree from Kingston University. After interning at several London agencies for a year, I started as a Junior Designer at a top branding agency, which helped launch my design career.
What advice would you give to somebody looking to get into this career?
Prepare for a long but rewarding journey. The creative industries are highly competitive, and in an AI-driven world, your most valuable asset will be your ability to think creatively, differently, and solve problems. Don't just focus on honing your artistic or design skills; stay curious about other subjects and hobbies. All creatives are like magpies, constantly gathering inspiration from
everything around us.
What are the steps a young person should take to go into this career?
Study creative subjects at school; art, design tech or any other subjects that might give you exposure to the world of creativity.
What is your favourite thing about the industry you have chosen to work in?
My favourite part of working in the creative industry may not be unique, but it’s true, I love that I get to be creative every day.
How did you know this is what you wanted to do?
Growing up with dyslexia, I often saw the world a little differently, this shaped my perspective and fueled my passion for creative subjects. With my dad running a design agency, and I loved watching the designers work and the atmosphere in the studio. The creative industries felt like a natural choice.
We asked Bobby Vasilev some questions about becoming a photographer:
How did you get into this creative career?
It has always been a thing around me, through my friends and peers who shared my passion for creativity. I wanted to capture moments.
What are the steps a young person should take to go into this career?
The best thing to do is to buy a camera and start shooting things, then you can find your niche, it doesn’t have to be one, as you can go into anything from event work, to portrait or landscape. If you can’t get a camera, use your phone. Just start doing shoots for friends, asking if they want to model for you and lead up to offering shoots at low rates. Shadow photographers, and build up a portfolio using the pictures you have taken. Then you can ask event organisers to help out at events and email companies you want to take pictures for.
What advice would you give to somebody looking to get into this career?
It takes a while so don’t just give up at your first sign of failure. I’ve been doing it for years but only in the last couple, I have been in a position where I can earn enough to live and pay for holidays.
What is your favourite thing about the industry you have chosen to work in?
There are a lot of things I don’t like but the beauty is, if you don’t like a certain industry, you don’t have to work in it. I found the music industry is unsustainable, so I took a step back to rethink. I can go into a variety of work like weddings or corporate, to avoid the late nights and little pay. As a photographer, it is a gateway to becoming a videographer, who earn more and have more jobs available.
How did you know this is what you wanted to do?
It is something that has always been around me. Since I was young I enjoyed creating stop motion with things like Lego and taking pictures of everything around me. I studied art which pushed me toward the visual aspect. I was inspired by a concert I went to alone that I wanted to show my friends. It lit a fire in me to capture these magical moments. So I started emailing clubs and got my first position as a photographer in a venue in Kingston.
We asked Sinead Reynolds some questions about her degree in film and television:
How did you get into this creative career?
I pursued film making after studying Zoology and working mainly on research projects surrounding animals in tropical environments. Pivoting from science to film making meant a steep learning curve of additional technical skills but an exciting combination to go forward with in a new career. Directing and producing science and natural history stories allows me to get the best of both
worlds!
What are the steps a young person should take to go into this career?
Identify what you enjoy and try to think about the stories unfolding around you in the world. There’s a lot of amazing things out there to share with people! There is no one way into the industry and everyone’s path looks slightly different. Reach out to filmmakers you admire and see what work experience or advice may be available to you. Or, if you want to delve deeper into an area you are passionate about outside of film making, study this first to give you a platform to launch into a postgraduate course in TV and Film down the line.
What advice would you give to somebody looking to get into this career?
Go for it! If you enjoy storytelling and have a natural eye for capturing the world around you through a lens, there’s a good chance film making could be for you. Technical skills can always be acquired and improved along your journey but starting out with enthusiasm, passion and intrigue for storytelling goes a long way.
What is your favourite thing about the industry you have chosen to work in?
The ability to share unique stories from around the world with a wider audience and challenging how people think. If I can make a film that prompts a discussion amongst viewers after they’ve watched, it’s a win for me!
How did you know this is what you wanted to do?
I have always enjoyed being creative, but after school pursued a career in Zoology. After travelling and working in unique areas of the world, with some amazing wildlife and people, I realized that film making could be a great way to engage more people in what is happening around our incredible planet, and a way to combine my passions for both art and science!
The Craft Council
The Crafts Council is a great resource to learn more about the craft sector.
A collective of 16 to 30 year olds interested in shaping the future of craft, design and making in the UK.
We know it can be difficult to get started in a creative career. Young Craft Citizens works with young people to create alternative pathways into the craft and creative sectors. We build young people’s creative, professional and leadership skills, particularly investing in those impacted by racism, classism, ableism and the intersection of these forms of discrimination.
You can also read about different Craft Career Profiles on their website.
Start a career in the craft sector today!
Meet Eric
Meet Eric is designed to help young people gain experience for their portfolio and CVs. They help young creatives with a goal of getting a career in the creative industries, but who aren’t quite ready to apply to a job.