www.creativeloop.org
All images copyright Creative Loop.
r ve media secto Today’s creati f the most offers some o t satisfying, challenging, ye t of h to work. A lo areas in whic in b jo en to get a s, people are ke ie n a p edia com cutting-edge m is tight – and on but competiti e select only th employers will very best.
Creative Loop is a well established excellently resourced partnership of six strongly focused colleges across Scotland who provide high quality practice orientated media education to the college sector and sets best practice in a number of key areas. The six partner colleges within Creative Loop comprise Aberdeen College, Adam Smith College in Fife, Cardonald College in Glasgow, Dundee College, Perth College and Reid Kerr College in Paisley. Creative Loop works closely with key national partners, Scottish Screen, SQA and Skillset Scotland and is funded by the Scottish Funding Council. The collective curriculum within Creative Loop covers a wide range of skill areas offering an extensive list of specialist education and training programmes using professional standard facilities- providing good practice based skills for entry level jobs in the creative industries particularly in the crafts and technical areas. Creative Loop produces industry ready graduates with first hand experience of associated working practices in a wide range of specialist skills as well as equipping them with the inter disciplinary skills, vision and judgement to succeed in related fields of employment. Our innovative approach to Industry standard training is breaking down traditional subject barriers by focussing on multiplatform and future skills. Helliate Rushwaya, Creative Loop’s project manager, says: “Our relationship with the six colleges is vital. Together we’re working to develop talent and to give that talent access to the best equipment, the best training and the best opportunities to engage with
industry. We get tremendous help from top industry professionals who work with the colleges to conduct masterclasses and seminars and workshops on industry specific topics.” Creative Loop is also part of the Skillset Media Academy Network, a UK-wide network of colleges and universities that work with industry in developing the new wave of media talent. Creative Loop remains the UK’s only all-college academy. This is a significant achievement for all the partners and particularly the six colleges. Creative Loop is one of only twenty academies approved across the United Kingdom and the first approved in Scotland. Creative Loop is also the first and only Skillset Academy that is wholly comprised of partners from the college sector. Achieving Skillset Media Academy status is a natural progression for Creative Loop and an endorsement from industry that the six colleges in the partnership offer the highest quality of skills training to meet industry needs.
| creative loop |
Today’s creative media sector offers some of the most challenging, yet satisfying, areas in which to work. A lot of people are keen to get a job in cutting-edge media companies, but competition is tight and employers will select only the very best.
intro
media organisations maintain their world class position, was also keen to see much closer links developed. Close collaboration between the colleges, industry executives and relevant agencies led to formal qualifications, such as HNCs and HNDs, being validated.
| creative loop |
Grant Ritchie Grant Ritchie, Deputy Principal at Dundee College, who first conceived the idea of the college partnership way back in 2003 has been involved with Creative Loop right from the start. “There were about a dozen colleges offering a variety of courses in TV, radio and other areas of digital production. It seemed a good to rationalise the courses into one TV framework and one radio framework. I was also concerned that the media industry itself did not understand what the colleges were doing – and the colleges didn’t necessarily know exactly what the industry was looking for. So, there was an obvious advantage in strengthening the links between the colleges and the media organisations in Scotland.” He quickly found that Skillset, the industry body that supports skills and training for the UK’s creative
“At that stage, we realised that we had all enjoyed working together and we asked the Scottish funding Council for funding to help us maintain our momentum. They agreed, which meant that we had the funds to further develop courses, to take students to industry events and festivals, and to give staff the time to build closer links with the industry – and it was fun for all concerned,” says Grant Ritchie. “Together, we’ve achieved a situation where the Scottish Funding Council likes what we do – and has given Creative Loop a further three years funding. The media likes what we do; they wanted people who were equipped to do the job – and we’re meeting their needs. The colleges like it, because they know that their courses are totally relevant to what the industry wants.” With member colleges in Paisley, Glasgow, Fife, Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen, Creative Loop’s other key advantage is its national sweep. “This is a genuinely national organisation, with an independent office in Glasgow – and with six member colleges ranged from the west of Scotland to the north-east. We have the benefits of close cooperation, along with independent decision-making in the academic institutions. It’s a win-win,” says Grant Ritchie.
CREATIVE
LOOP
As project manager for Creative Loop, Helliate Rushwaya has the job of managing the partnership of six Scottish colleges, each with its own range of courses within the creative media industries footprint covering, television, visual communication, radio, games, animation and sound production.
| creative loop |
With a background in broadcast journalism, mass communications and magazine publishing in Africa and the Netherlands, her range of experience also includes developing and maintaining networks. After working in the East Midlands, in media skills development for the audio visual sector, Helliate moved to Scotland and landed the job with the six college partnership led by Dundee College and including Aberdeen, Adam Smith, Cardonald, Perth and Reid Kerr college– which, in turn evolved into the Creative Loop. “It was the opportunity to get involved in matching skills development with the needs of modern creative media sector that attracted me to the job” says Helliate Rushwaya. “The fast-changing nature of the industry means that it can be difficult for colleges to keep up with the sector’s ever changing skills requirements. Via Creative Loop we’re aiming to ensure that our students are fully equipped for jobs in the creative media sector. The great thing about Creative Loop is that the the six colleges are now all recognised centres of excellence and specialist hubs, across the country. “From the very first day, Creative Loop’s challenge was to ensure that student contact with the media industry was creative – it had to be about much more than just ‘work placement’. We had to reinvent the ways that students interacted with the sector – so we introduced masterclasses, workshops and networking events with industry with a particular focus on creative media craft and technical skills where scotland’s colleges excel.
Helliate Rushwaya
The thing I like best about my job is that Creative Loop acts as a bridge between the industry and the colleges – which allows us to give our students a different learning experience through industry engagement. Students are encouraged to think creatively across various media platforms – we want them to think outside the box a nd into the X-box – can their ideas be adapted for interactive media, mobile phone applications as well as standard broadcast media? I think the colleges are doing a tremendous job in terms of their teaching standards, the quality of their technical equipment and facilities and their interaction with the industry. As a result, they’re earning the respect of the media sector – an achievement that has been marked by Creative Loop being awarded the UK’s only all college Skillset Media Academy and the Scottish Funding Council giving us further resources. Creative Loop intends to stay ahead of the curve.”
d as such by industry.” is an effective partnership and perceive Loop ative “Cre : SFC at ll pbe Cam Morag ol is quite brilliant.” status up there with City Business Scho emy Acad UK with ges colle of p grou a “Having
| creative loop |
aberdeen
As manager of the Multi-Media Centre at Aberdeen College, Paul Adderton is an enthusiast for his work – and he gets a lot of feedback: “Just this morning I received an email from a former student,” he says. “She was standing behind a film camera on a beach in Jamaica. ‘I’m making a film about Bob Marley!’ she wrote. I’ll be showing that pic to our students, pointing out to them that three years ago she was sitting in our Multi-Media Centre just as they are now. If she can do it, they can do it – that’s the message. “Our courses are in high demand, students realise that we’re offering very practical skills – skills that the creative industries need. Currently we’ve got 135 students, ranging in age from 17 to 50. The industry is keen to recruit our students, knowing that they have valuable production experience.” Aberdeen offers courses in television production, screen-writing, radio production, radio journalism and sound production. There’s even opportunities for bands to come in and use the equipment to do their own ‘mix down’. To ensure that their students have what it takes by the time their course is finished, the Multimedia Centre invests in industry-standard equipment. “We have the best equipment in Scotland –whatever the industry is using, we replicate it,” says Paul Adderton. “Before they even begin to apply for jobs, students will know how to use the kit. We’re not offering a theoretical course here, it’s very hands-on.”
college
Paul Adderton Students can also use the equipment outside of normal college hours for individual study and for putting projects together. The college also has a unique arrangement with a local cinema, allowing students to showcase their films to a wider audience in Aberdeen. Industrial placement is another key strategy in plugging students into what the industry wants. “We encourage all students to gain direct experience by working on an industrial placement. Just being there, in a real production situation, let’s them see how professionals get the job done. It teaches them the importance of teamwork, discipline, and deadlines.” To reinforce the importance of professional standards, all of the lecturers at Aberdeen College worked previously in the creative industries. Guest speakers are brought in as often as possible to broaden the students’ knowledge. And while many students will go directly into the world of work at the end of their course, many others use their Aberdeen qualifications as a stepping stone to more advanced study at university.
iastic about the Paul Adderton is also enthus ills development: partnership’s contribution to sk
initiative. It “Creative Loop is an excellenantd we’ve put has worked well for us -like a hub for a lot back into it. It acts r students and it its partners. It delivers fo employers - all delivers for colleges and end it to anyone.” over Scotland. I’d recomm
| creative loop |
DUNDEE COLLEGE With some 17 companies employing around 400 people, Dundee is home to one of the UK’s most significant clusters for the design and production of digital games.
| creative loop |
With its keen focus on the creative and audio-visual sectors, Dundee College provides courses in computer arts, visual communication, digital media, 3D computer animation and interactive multimedia creation. Exactly the kind of skills the local production companies require. On completing their courses, talented students can choose from two different paths – they can either move straight into employment, or they can take their studies further at the nearby University of Abertay, the UK’s top centre for degree courses in computer games or Duncan of Jordanstone, University of Dundee which is also renowned for its degree courses. Lorna Reith heads Dundee College’s Centre for Creative & Digital Industries, which has five curriculum teams as well as two project managers who specialise in building links in Europe and Internationally. She says: “Our European projects are very important to us, it’s enormously enriching for the students to get experience abroad. We collaborate
closely with Scandinavian, India and central European countries, with exchange programmes for students and tutors. “We seek links with European and International institutions in nations that have a similar post-school education system to Scotland’s and that offer similar courses to our own. For example, there’s a lot of very interesting film and digital media coming out of Scandinavia.” As well as school leavers, Dundee College’s Centre for Creative & Digital Industries attracts applications from people already working in the creative sectors who aim to top-up their qualifications, as well as gain hands-on experience with the latest technology. Selection is based on a combination of the quality of student portfolios and interviews. “To win a place on our creative or digital industry courses you will need a combination of positive attitude, a portfolio of work that demonstrates your skills and commitment,” she says. “Our intake is around 700 students a year, some of them starting on nonadvanced courses while others will go all the way up to Higher National Diploma standard.” Around 50 per cent of the HND students go on to university each year.
With many digital design companies located around Dundee, the college enjoys strong links with key players in the creative sectors. “Local companies are very generous in offering student placements and in coming to speak to staff and students about the latest trends in the industry,” says Lorna Reith. “These contacts make a big difference for us, allowing us to develop new courses in anticipation of new demand coming from the creative sectors. The companies benefit by having access to, and recruiting from, the talented individuals on our courses. And it’s not always academic qualifications that are important to employers, quite often they will recruit people with sheer raw talent.” Already happy to work closely with local universities in Dundee, Lorna Reith sees Creative Loop as another partnership that adds value to her work: “There are many benefits in working closely with other colleges. Any kind of consortium approach has to be good for all of the colleges involved. Many Colleges used to work in isolation from each other, but Creative Loop allows us to interact, to see good practice in other institutions, and to learn from each other,” she says.
ound 400 ar g in oy pl em es ni pa m co 17 e With som e of the UK’s most on to e m ho is ee nd Du , le op pe d production an gn si de e th r fo rs te us cl t signifcan of digital games. Nick Low at Demus Productions: “Great ideas and talent.”“Rejuvenates
me.”
| creative loop |
“Creative Loop is an excellent initiative. It has worked well for us - and we’ve put a lot back into it. It acts like a hub for its partners. It delivers for students and it delivers for colleges and employers - all over Scotland. I’d recommend it to anyone.”
PERTH COLLEGE
| creative loop |
As the only college in Scotland to offer an honours degree in popular music performance, Perth College has a major focus on studio and live performance, sound engineering and design – as well as radio and TV production. Christiana Margiotti [Curriculum Manager Creative Industries] “Since our courses prepare students for such a wide range of jobs in radio, television and music, we are always oversubscribed. When selecting students, we use a combination of interview and the quality of their portfolio. Usually, it’s the portfolio that is the deciding factor, but we will consider students who don’t have a powerful portfolio if they can convince us that they’ve got the right potential.” Students enrolling on the courses can include 15 year olds who have left school early to continue their education at college. “As a result, our classes are very mixed in terms of age and previous experience – which we find very enriching.” She believes that striking the right balance between practical experience and academic input is vital in helping students graduate into full time jobs in the creative industries. “ come into education from a background in the creative sector, I know how important it is to ensure that the students are equipped with the practical skills that employers are looking for. We have developed a two-way street between the industry and the college, with guest speakers coming in to talk to the students, while students visit and take up placements in creative organisations.”
giotti
Christiana Mar
On completing their course, many Perth students go straight into a new career in music and the media, taking up jobs such as sound engineers, radio production, marketing, graphic design, music promotion or gaming design. One of her students recently won a coveted position working on *Grand Theft Auto*, one of the top sellers to emerge from the digital games studios. Using their Perth qualifications as a stepping stone to further learning, other students head for the universities and art schools in Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh, or south of the border. Christiana Margiotti is in no doubt as to the benefits of being ‘in the loop’ with Creative Loop. “It m ourselves. Meeting with the other colleges means that we all know what each other is doing and can advise students as to there they’ll find the course that suits them best. For example, we often send students who are interested in TV production through to Adam Smith College in Fife, where they have the necessary production facilities, equipment and knowledge. It allows all six colleges to offer a wider range of opportunities to our students; it’s a partnership.”
| creative loop |
r course, many ei th g in et pl m co On straight into Perth studentsingomusic and the a new career up jobs such as media, taking rs, radio production, sound enginee aphic design, music marketing, grgaming design. promotion or
| creative loop |
REID KERR COLLEGE National Qualifications to Higher National Certificates, Reid Kerr’s media section attracts students ranging in age from 16 to mature students in their 40s.
“In the UK there is a massive disconnect between the needs of the creative industries and the courses being offered in many educational institutions,” he says. “When I first started working in education I had to learn a whole new academic jargon, none of which I had required while actually producing programmes.
The department’s close links with the broadcast industry ensures a two-way flow between the media department and the industry. Speakers from organisations such as BBC, Radio Clyde and Galaxy Scotland visit the college to share their knowledge and ideas with students and staff, w hile students take up placements and intern opportunities in the media organisations.
“The academic focus on theory meant that students were not technically equipped to enter the industry. At Reid Kerr, and the other colleges in Creative Loop, we make sure that our students have the practical skills and technical knowledge they need to play a productive role from the very first day in their new job.” With its courses ranging from basic
On completing their courses, some students head straight into jobs in radio, TV and sound production, while others build on their practical skills by going on to higher education – with English degrees being a popular choice. A third group leave Reid Kerr to take up jobs in non-creative sectors. “We shouldn’t underestimate the value of these courses in
providing students with skills that are applicable over a much wider range of jobs than in the creative industries. Our students pick up a wide range of ‘soft’ skills, including teamwork, punctuality, meeting deadlines, engaging with other people etc. You don’t need to work in the media to apply these skills successfully.” John Collins sees Creative Loop as a vital element in providing opportunities for students and generating knowledge exchange among staff. “It helps us to work closely with other colleges, especially those that offer radio-related HNCs. I’m keen to see further co-operation, such as sharing resources. It’s a tremendous resource.”
Anne Gifford at UWS: “Creative Loop has areas of excellence and distinctiveness.” “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
| creative loop |
With a BBC background in broadcast production and management, John Collins is passionate about the vocational nature of the courses offered at Reid Kerr College’s media department.
John Collins
ADAM SMITH COLLEGE
| creative loop |
ve Centre for Creati Industries
Creative Industries are flourish ing. Whatever inspires you to create, there are viable career options in Art and Design, The atre, TV and Sound Production, New Media, Broadcasting, Performanc e, Hairdressing, Beauty or Holisti c Therapies. We offer a wide ran ge of industry-specific courses inc luding new degrees in BA Visual Communication with Digital Pub lishing, BA Interactive Media: TV and Scotland’s only Physical The atre qualification. Many studen ts progress from NQ to HNC/D cou rses then articulate to Art or Dra ma colleges and universities. Our Lecturers have a wealth of experience, having worked wit h household names like Snow Pat rol, KT Tunstall, Ewan McGregor and Shirley Henderson. Ex-stu dents such as Stephen Glendinni ng, formerly of Toni & Guy and Cob ella Salons, have recently been see n as mentors to celebs in TV’s Cel ebrity Scissorhands. Whether you want to be in the front line or beh ind the scenes, training at Ada m Smith can help you to join the workforce of over 2 million wh ich makes up today’s Creative Ind ustries market.
| creative loop |
| creative loop |
CARDONALD COLLEG E At Glasgow’s Cardonald College, the School of Digital Media, Television and Graphics attracts a massive number of applicants each year, partly due to the School’s close connections with major media organisations located just a couple of miles away at Pacific Quay.
A typical example is where a leading TV producer presents a masterclass on how to pitch documentary ideas to TV companies. Students then have the opportunity to pitch their own ideas, directly to a senior executive who is in a position to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the ideas being offered.
Being involved with Creative Loop also gave him time to build links with the creative industry and helped him to find the funding to develop course modules, such as “Who’s Who in a Production Team” and “What’s it Like in a Shoot?” Other courses include a step-by-step guide to scriptwriting. “It’s great that Creative Loop has received a further three years funding. Given our work over the last three years, we know what works and what doesn’t work – and all of our systems are in place, so we’ll be hitting the ground running for the next three years. Creative Loop has moved us all away from a parochial outlook; we’re all bigger and better for it.”
“Meeting practitioners is invaluable,” says Dario Sinforiani. “Most of the people who work in areas like television are freelance, so the students quickly learn that they are may well have to become freelances themselves – and will have to develop those proactive skills as well as develop a reputation for fast, accurate and creative work.” The annual Scottish BAFTA awards offers the Cardonald students another opportunity for real-time experience, by ‘crewing’ the event. “It certainly concentrates the mind when you’ve got to manage a large-scale live event with a very strict deadline – and where you’ve got a famous presenter, famous people receiving awards and a very knowledgeable audience. You can’t afford to mess up that kind of opportunity,” says Dario Sinforiani.
Dario Sinforiani
Amanda Millen at HIE: “I’m extremely impressed by the caliber of the students.” “There’s mutual benefit and we’ve gained a lot by working together.”
| creative loop |
“In training the students we use a combination of permanent staff and freelances who are industry practitioners; that’s how we make sure that the courses are relevant to the media,” says Dario Sinforiani, a senior lecturer in the department. “The practitioners come in to teach units or to present masterclasses in specific topics. Our courses are modular and are totally practical, if you see someone writing then it’s likely that they are writing a script or researching a story.”
“Our ambition at Cardonald is to provide short courses that prepare students for direct entry into the media. We also want to provide continuing professional development for practitioners and freelances who need to keep their technical skills up to date,” he says.
| creative loop |
SKILLSET
en and Media Academy students
op and Mark Batho with the Scre
Alasdair Smith with Fiona Hysl
Other advantages of the partnership include Creative Loop’s involvement with Skillset, the Government body responsible for careers guidance and advice in the creative media sector. Alasdair Smith, Skillset’s Scotland Director, says: “Our involvement with Creative Loop with dates back to 2003 when we were one of the founding partners. At that time we were working with all of the colleges and educational institutions in Scotland that were offering media HNCs and were keen to re-structure courses to bring them into line with industry requirements. Obviously, we included the industry in assessing what the course content should be – both in educational and practical terms. “We wanted to embed industrial practices and protocols within the curriculum so that students would be immediately employable on
completing their courses. We also wanted to ensure that lecturers were fully up to date with the latest techniques and requirements of the digital media industry, so we sought the help of media organisations in ensuring Continual Professional Development for tutors. Basically, we wanted to balance the supply of skilled students with the demand from the industry.” He is particularly pleased with the strong links that individual colleges have established with media businesses and organisations. “Industry specialists come into the colleges to deliver masterclasses and to ensure that what we’re offering students is bang up to date with what the industry wants. If staff are not fully up to date, then the value of courses is compromised.” The industry also offers placements a range of placements where students can gain practical experience on real-life projects.
“Students don’t just get solid experience on their placements, they also gain ‘work readiness’ – they quickly discover that if you don’t turn up on time, whether 6 in the morning or 12 noon, you’ll be in trouble. And nothing concentrates the mind like knowing that if you don’t meet the deadline the radio will be silent. Placements also provide the students with contacts – and in an industry where 40 per cent of the work is done by freelances, contacts are vital in helping them find work.” he says. Alasdair Smith also argues that Creative Loop’s other great advantage lies in its ability to bring more diversity into the media sector. “The media in Scotland is not sufficiently varied in terms of social and ethnic diversity,” he says. “But with their roots in local communities, the colleges are uniquely placed to offer the industry fully qualified people from a broader
and deeper talent pool. The courses also offer the students a springboard into higher education, for those who want to further their education – and because of their sheer practicality, the courses attract university graduates who want to do an HNC to back up their academic degrees with a hands-on skills.” Most of these sectors have their own outputs and specialist areas of work, while others supply specialist services to support or supplement the work of related sectors. All sectors have their own unique skills and specialisms – and therefore their own special requirements for skills and training. Freelancers are increasingly moving between related sectors.
| creative loop |
Skillset subdivides the creative media industries into ten sectors: · animation · computer games · facilities – including post ent production, studio and equipm cts, effe l sica phy cial spe , hire outside broadcast, processing laboratories, transmission, manufacture of Audio-Visual for equipment and other services film and TV · film · interactive media as · other content creation, such of tion duc pro the pop promos and etc s cial mer com · photo imaging · publishing – books, journals, ctories magazines, newspapers, dire s, and ncie age s new es, bas data and electronic information services · radio · television
Skillset works with each of these sectors individually – and in combination – to raise skill levels to meet the needs of the creative media industries. Skillset collects information on the size and make-up of the workforce in each sector, developing standards that define the specific job areas and the job roles involved. Skillset also works with industry practitioners to develop qualifications that meet the industry’s needs. The organization also collects information on training and funding currently available – which allows Skillset to supply information, advice and guidance to new entrants, freelancers and companies to give them the tools they need to develop their skills.
Alasdair Smith
between Gillian Easson at NESTA:“Creative Loop is very helpful in building links .” informed and d NESTA and the colleges.” “Students were very motivate
SCOTTISH
| creative loop |
SCREEN
Carole Sheridan Scottish Screen, the national development agency for the screen industries in Scotland, maintains a close relationship with Creative Loop. Caroline Sheridan, head of talent and creativity, says: “Our role is to keep the colleges well informed as to what the industry needs in terms of skilled personnel. Creative Loop is accredited by Skillset as a Media Academy, which is a tremendous qualification and proves that its courses are appropriate for the industry’s needs. The colleges are all providing very practical courses,
Creative Loop isn’t about theory – it’s about getting things done.” She also points out that the very existence of Creative Loops means that the colleges avoid duplication, while each of them has its own specialisation appropriate to the local region in which they operate. “The screen sector is changing so rapidly that we’re all having to run faster to keep abreast of developments, so it’s crucial that students are learning on the very latest state-of-the-art equipment.
Creative Loop recently secured new funding to improve and update the equipment being used on the various courses, yet if the colleges had applied separately they might not have got the cash. But, working together as Creative Loop, they’ve now got the funds they need – ensuring that Scotland’s digital media industry can attract the highest calibre of entrants.”
“The screen sector is changing so rapidly that we’re all having to run faster to keep abreast of developments, so it’s crucial that students are learning on the very latest state-of-the-art equipment.
| creative loop |
| creative loop |
Jude MacLaverty at Celtic Media Festival: “Has brought new life to the festival.” “New voices worked for everybody.”
Contact:
r , Project Manage Helliate Rushwaya BBC Scotland 40 Pacific Quay Zone 3.29 Glasgow G51 1DA
iveloop.org E: helliate@creat op.org W: www.creativelo
Dundee College Kingsway Campus Old Glamis Road Dundee DD3 8LE
| creative loop |
www.creativeloop.org