A thousand jobseekers previously employed in the aviation industry at Heathrow airport will be supported to transfer their skills into the screen industries.
The programme run by ScreenSkills in partnership with Pinewood and Buckinghamshire and Enterprise M3 LEPs will see participants offered information on how their expertise in aviation and its supply chain can be used in film, television and games.
Local Jobcentre Plus staff and Heathrow employers will identify 1,000 individuals to participate in an online introduction to the screen industries and receive support to identify their transferable skills. Those interested in pursuing a new career in screen will then apply for a series of online training events. All candidates will benefit from online training and 25 will also get work shadowing placements at Pinewood Studios.
The Skills to Screen: Aviation programme will be funded by the Department for Work and Pensions following a £150 million boost to the Flexible Support Fund as part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Therese Coffey said: “This is a rare opportunity to join a world leading sector that has vacancies to fill.”
The training and placements will be tailored to the skills of those who come forward, including those from retail, digital and administrative roles as well as aviation staff.
Previous Skills to Screen events run by ScreenSkills have identified people with expertise in areas such as accounts, digital and logistics as well as craft and technical skills such as carpentry and construction.
Seetha Kumar, ScreenSkills CEO, said: “Transferable skills from aviation and the supply chain at Heathrow in areas including logistics, accounts and office roles could play an important role in addressing the needs of UK’s world-famous film, TV and games industries. Despite the immediate challenges of Covid, the screen sector has skills shortages so there are jobs to be filled to meet strong consumer demand.”
Andrew M. Smith, Corporate Affairs Director at Pinewood Studios, said: “We are delighted to be backing this exciting initiative to support those affected by local job losses in the aviation sector. This new initiative will provide the opportunity to support many of those highly skilled workers to transfer their skills to our world-class screen industries based at Pinewood Studios.”
