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Creative and design
Stepping into the creative sector is an excellent choice of career pathway for any learner. Employing more than 2 million people, the creative industries are the fastest growing part of the UK economy, generating more than £100 billion a year.
Sector insights
Creative and design skills are highly sought after. Employing 2.2 million people1, the creative industries are one of the fastest growing parts of the UK economy and generate more than £111 billion a year2.
Although the digital age has revolutionised the way many industries operate, nothing can replicate a human’s capacity for creativity.
In fact, 87% of highly creative workers3 are at low to no risk of automation – meaning these jobs will remain in high demand as the industry seeks to find 1.2 million new workers over the next decade.
With the creative areas of software and games, and film and TV making the highest contribution to the UK economy, NCFE qualifications are the perfect steppingstone for learners to gain skills to progress in this ever-growing sector.
Qualification spotlight
Our creative industry qualifications offer a range of pathways, allowing learners to become masters of their craft by gaining the knowledge and skills that they’ll require to succeed. Some of our most popular qualifications include:
Setting the standard
High-profile endorsements with creative industry experts ensure that our qualifications are industry-standard and that they meet the needs of the sector. Our collaborations with key organisations help to support and prepare learners interested in excelling in the creative industries. These include
Plan your curriculum
View our progression route map to see how our range of creative qualifications connect to support your curriculum planning and learner progression.
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Case Study
Technical Award in Art and Design endorsed by sector expert
We’re proud to work collaboratively with experts to develop content and materials that provide the required knowledge and practical skills for the industry. One such collaboration is with Lorna Watkinson, a sector specialist and the founder of Vibrant Thinking, who validated our Level 1/2 Technical Award in Art and Design.
Commending the qualification, Lorna said: “This qualification gives a practical approach to arts and design, equipping learners for the working world. The broad scope of the course covers important employability skills such as understanding and converting a client’s brief. The skills and knowledge gained from the Level 1/2 Technical Award in Art and Design can be transferable to other sectors and careers, making it an extremely worthwhile qualification.”
Read the case study1DCMS Sector National Economic Estimates: 2011 - 2020 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dcms-sector-national-economic-estimates-2011-to-2020/dcms-sector-national-economic-estimates-2011-2020
2Press release: UK’s Creative Industries contributes almost £13 million to the UK economy every https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uks-creative-industries-contributes-almost-13-million-to-the-uk-economy-every-hour
3Screen South: Creative Industry Skills Overview https://www.ncfe.org.uk/media/2c4n4qli/creative-industries-overview-selep-skills-conference.pdf