4.3 Sustaining a Career in the Creative Industry

From our research, we’ve been able to establish a number of factors which are likely to help graduates in building and sustaining their careers. Some of these are related to the development of specific skills, while others relate to practical support or new knowledge and understanding.

Whilst this list is largely based on student and alumni feedback, it is worth noting that many of them expressed doubts whether LAMDA is the right place to learn these skills. Even those that believed in the value of them had a preference for spending their limited time at LAMDA on their artistic development.

Most alumni reflected that much of the required knowledge is inevitably learnt best in real life, hence the interest in work placements and practical projects. Some remembered an accountant session on tax given to them whilst they were at the School, but the feedback was very mixed; some welcomed it and had found it useful, but the same number said they found it incomprehensible and overwhelming. One alumnus said that the tax class came a day before graduation which wasn’t ideal, so perhaps the timing needs to be looked at. An approach which allows students to put these things into practice seems more likely to succeed.

Despite this, there were a short number of specific subjects mentioned by alumni as areas where they would have welcomed workshops or similar whilst at LAMDA. These include fundraising, writing a case for support, building a budget, self-promotion (including social media), setting up a company (e.g. a production company) and basic accounting. These are all included in the list (opposite), which should serve as a solid starting point for internal academic and professional discussions on a new framework for employability:

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Industry Awareness

A Substantial and Structured Support System

Sources of information, advice and guidance Access tresources such as physical space, PCs and printers A broad network Opportunities to stay connected with the sector, the School and classmates

Hardship bursaries Specific project funding (e.g. a competitive award for a new venture) Writing funding or grant applications Understanding of arts funding policy and opportunities Bid writing Business case writing Understanding of crowdfunding

Access to Funding

Broader experience and understanding of the industry in its widest sense, to be able to identify and exploit all possible opportunities Understanding the creative process and how different roles work together Potential role of new technology Growth areas Exposure to a range of small businesses and enterprises in the industry

The Ability to Transition

Belief that alternative routes are equally valuable Recognition of their transferable skills Understanding how these can be applied to other roles in other sectors Career planning and management Basic accounting Ability to be self-employed Climate scanning Practical qualifications or experience (e.g. LAMDA exams tuition)

Ability to Create Own Work Personal Skills

Flexibility Communication skills Self-awareness Agility Resilience Networking Ability to learn from failure Marketing yourself

Business and Operations Understanding

Self-confidence Understanding of the process Understanding of the costs e.g. costs of labour, building a budget Finding the right partners Collaboration and working with others Marketing your work Social media marketing Equality and diversity Responsible and ethical practice Safe practice Interviewing skills Management of administration Building a budget Understanding of company status, structures and roles.

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