This Collaborative Enhancement Project will develop a Work Readiness Education framework for the creative industries, offering flexible pathways to boost employability. Focusing on diverse learners - neurodivergent, international, carers, widening participation and distance students - it will design inclusive, practice-based experiences that cultivate industry-relevant skills, adaptability, and ethical awareness for sustainable creative careers.
Project lead: Leeds Arts University
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About this project
This project seeks to develop a Work Readiness Education (WRE) framework tailored to the creative industries, providing flexible learning pathways that enhance employability for all students.
Emphasising the needs of diverse learner groups, including neurodivergent, international, carer, widening participation and distance students, the project will design inclusive, practice-based learning experiences that support industry-relevant skills and ethical awareness.
As creative industries continue to expand, the demand for graduates with industry-aligned skills and work-readiness has grown. Bridgstock (2011) highlights a gap in graduate skills that align with creative sector needs, stressing the importance of targeted WRE.
Furthermore, Daubney (2022) and Römgens et al. (2019) emphasise the critical role of WRE in preparing students for employment by embedding practical skill-building and real world experience in the curriculum. This project aims to address these challenges by designing a flexible and inclusive WRE model that aligns with industry standards and accommodates the unique needs of diverse student demographics.
By integrating ethical considerations and addressing potential career-limiting behaviours, the project will advance QAA’s commitment to flexible, inclusive education that supports employability for all students.
Working with colleagues across a range job roles and institutions, of differing sizes and locations and specialisms, is of real value to a project like this.
Although not all from creative institutions, we all work – in some capacity – with students and graduates who are most likely to work within the Creative Industries. We have worked together as part of the AGCAS Creative Industries Task Group for the several years and developed an understanding of both the benefits and challenges of each of our varied institutional approaches.
The students we each work with are also unique in their lived experiences, dependent on number of factors. These experiences will then vary even more so based on the institution they have chosen to attend and discipline they have chosen to study.
Lead institution:
Dr Elli Whitefoot, Leeds Arts University
Partner institutions:
Dr Leo Burtin, University of the Creative Arts
Dr Miri Firth, University of Manchester
Andrew Garfoot, BIMM University
Matt Halfin, Queen Marys University
Jason Law, University of Leeds
Louise Sharland, Arts University Plymouth
Sulaman Sunny, University of Bedfordshire
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Elli Whitefoot has worked at Leeds Arts University – the only specialist arts university in the North of England – since 2016, providing creative students and graduates with opportunities to connect with organisations and creative professionals, adding value to their university experience, building professional confidence and encouraging them to value their work and time.
She has been a member of the AGCAS Creative Industries Task Group since 2019, working alongside colleagues from a variety of institutions, all contributing the benefit of their differing focuses, perspectives, and experiences. The CITG have delivered workshops, events and resources for the wider AGCAS community of practitioners, providing insight into the Creative Industries, and they now partner on this QAA project aiming to enhance Work Readiness Education (WRE) for creative industry employment.
She has been a member of the AGCAS Creative Industries Task Group since 2019, working alongside colleagues from a variety of institutions, all contributing the benefit of their differing focuses, perspectives, and experiences. The CITG have delivered workshops, events and resources for the wider AGCAS community of practitioners, providing insight into the Creative Industries, and they now partner on this QAA project aiming to enhance Work Readiness Education (WRE) for creative industry employment.