Celebrating Discover! Creative Careers Month

Throughout November, we were proud to lead Discover! Creative Careers Week programmes in Scotland and Wales, while also continuing to offer screen careers events across Northern Ireland and England through the Into Film Festival.

We delivered a raft of inspiring free careers events, connecting thousands of young people with hundreds of workplaces to give hands-on insight and experience of the creative industries.

Discover! Creative Careers is a government-funded, industry-led programme that is working to ensure there is a larger and more diverse intake of talent via a broader range of routes into the creative industries. The free-to-access hybrid programme of activities and resources offers young people meaningful encounters with industry professionals, online tools, and training and support throughout the year. This year, we helped young people gain insight into the creative industries of film, textiles, music, gaming, SFX, fashion, design, and more.

Discover! Creative Careers Scotland highlights

• DYW Creative Industries: Industry Inspiration Panel Session
• We held a behind-the-scenes SFX makeup workshop at Newbattle High School
• A hands-on session on costuming and design took place at St Paul's RC Academy
• An Art Portfolio Day took place with Creative Catalyst in Perth
• A screen industry careers event saw a screening of 28 Years Later followed by a Q&A with drone camera operator Robbie Jones, who worked on the film

"I quite like how hands on it was, because I got to see it happen right in front of me. Most things in school are quite theory-heavy, so you don't actually get to see it in practice", said a 17-year-old pupil from Midlothian who attended an SFX workshop. "I also quite liked how I could ask questions to the speaker about how the creative industries work and how to find good pathways into them."

Nicola Kettlewood, Into Film Programme Lead, Scotland said: "We've gotten off to a great start with Discover! Creative Careers, and are excited by the range of industry partners keen to share knowledge and information with young people; from actors and directors, to designers, writers and musicians. So far we've engaged young people in schools, workplaces and online, and will continue to do so leading up to Scottish Apprenticeship week in March 2026. Our thanks to all employers, creative practitioners, teachers, parents and young people so far for their enthusiasm and energy for the Creative Industries."

Discover! Creative Careers Cymru highlights

• Emmy Award-winning actor Matthew Rhys performed acclaimed one-man play Playing Burton, to over 300 young people from across south Wales, and joined us for a Q&A session
• We held Fashion and Branding workshops with Ibby Abdi, founder of Cardiff-based streetwear brand IbyWorld, who have partnered with the Football Association of Wales
• In Cardiff we held a screen careers event, which saw a screening of new drama Brides followed by a Q&A with the film's Welsh Producers, Alice Lusher and Catryn Ramasut.

"I liked that Ibby was around our age (Gen-Z), so it felt better than someone who would be older talking about starting a career", said a Year 10 pupil from Morriston Comprehensive School in Swansea.

Meanwhile, a Year 11 pupil from Ysgol Bro Dinefwr, Carmarthenshire said: "I really enjoyed the Playing Burton performance, because it showed what I can create as a young performer. In addition, we enjoyed the question-and-answer session because it was a unique chance to find out from Matthew Rhys what it's like for an actor in the creative industry." 

Non Stevens, Into Film Programme Lead for Cymru, said: "During Discover! Creative Careers Cymru week, a wealth of creative professionals shared their experience and advice with hundreds of young people across Wales, offering insights into pathways into the creative sector and inspiring them to explore career opportunities they may not have previously considered. Diolch to everyone who supported this exciting project. We look forward to working with creative industry partners, schools and young people across the country to deliver even more enriching opportunities before the end of March 2026."

Discover! Creative Careers England Highlights

• In Manchester, actor Letitia Wright joined us for a screening of her directorial debut Highway to the Moon, speaking about the film's themes of knife crime, the importance of positive Black representation, and her striking career to date.
• The Young BAFTA Showcase saw panels of professionals offer careers insights on film, TV, animation and the gaming industry
• Associate Director, Mark Oosterveen, joined us 'in conversation' with young people in Derby, discussing his unconventional film, Grand Theft Hamlet
• A Representation Matters panel for schools/colleges took place at BFI Southbank, hosted by Ashanti Omkar (Broadcaster and TV Critic), and with Adjani Salmon (Writer, Director, Actor), Rico Johnson-Sinclair (Training and Skills Director, CrewHQ) and Tobi Kyeremateng (Producer).