Screen Skills Ireland

Screen Skills Ireland reflects on a strong and evolving 2018 and plans for 2019

Screen Skills Ireland has presented the online version of “A Year in Review 2018”, which was launched at Screen Ireland’s Production Catalogue event this week. The review looks back over the key initiatives, events and support offered in 2018 by Screen Skills Ireland to the wider industry, and outlines the plan for developments in 2019 and beyond.

The biggest change for the organisation in 2018 was the rebranding from Screen Training Ireland to Screen Skills Ireland. This new name better reflects the remit and range of activity of Screen  Skills Ireland, while also aligning the organisation more closely with education policy in Ireland, and with its sister agency, Screen Ireland.

Another major change saw new leadership at Screen Skills Ireland, with the appointment of Gareth Lee as Manager. Prior to joining Screen Skills Ireland, he worked at Ballyfermot College of Further Education where he ran the Animation degree programme and most recently established the inaugural diploma programme in 3D & Visual Effects — the first programme of its kind in Ireland. His appointment also saw the numbers of employees at increased as the remit for the organisation widened.

2018 saw Screen Skills Ireland develop and deliver over 47 courses and allocate 628 places to participants. Of these training places, 58% were allocated to female participants and 42% allocated to male participants. Screen Skills Ireland also supported 23 masterclasses and workshops at leading Irish film festivals and seminars in partnership with various organisations throughout the year. Approximately 2,434 places were provided at these events throughout the country, and of these, 43% were allocated to female participants and 57% allocated to male participants.

Through the Bursary Award Scheme, 25 Irish industry professionals availed of funding to attend high-level skills development programmes and workshops with international organisations.

In November, Screen Skills Ireland launched Careers in Screen, a portal designed to proactively map career paths within the industry, the first of its kind in Ireland. Careers in Screen is a comprehensive online resource for new entrants and industry professionals, providing an overview of the screen industries, a breakdown of departments and the key skills required for all
roles across Film, TV (drama and non-fiction), VFX and Animation.

2018 was a year of change for our organisation: renaming to Screen Skills Ireland to reflect a renewed focus on skills development; listening to the wider industry and their needs at the Screen Industry Education Forum in November; and the creation of the Careers in Screen website to map the broad spectrum of roles and routes available across film, TV, animation and VFX. Our Year in Review document highlights the important work of Screen Skills Ireland last year. In 2019, we look forward to working closely with stakeholders across the screen industry to build on these positive foundations and support the further growth and development of the sector. Gareth Lee, Manager of Screen Skills Ireland

Plans for 2019:

In 2019, Screen Skills Ireland will:

  • Work closely with the Skills Sub-Committee to finalise, publish and begin implementing an Action Plan for the organisation that will cover the next five years.
  • Continue to engage regularly with key industry stakeholders in relation to the ongoing skills needs of the sector through surveys and meetings with industry consultation groups and the Skills SubCommittee.
  • Update and expand the Careers in Screen portal to fully capture the range of roles and opportunities within the sector and actively promote screen careers through a Screen
    Careers event.
  • Host the second Screen Industry Education Forum to bring industry and education stakeholders together to further engage on the skills development challenges and opportunities of the screen sectors in Ireland.
  • Deliver a range of continuous professional development programmes that are responsive to the needs of the sector across business; creativity; film; TV drama; TV nonfiction; animation; games and VFX.
  • Work collaboratively with other organisations to develop more work-based learning opportunities through traineeships, apprenticeships, shadowing and mentoring programmes.
  • Work closely with regional partners on skills development initiatives in the regions.
  • Drive positive cultural change through delivering skills development initiatives that support a more diverse and inclusive industry.
  • Work closely with national and international industry stakeholders on festival masterclasses, partnership events, networking events and bursary opportunities for international skills development.
  • Engage with key policy influencers and relevant funding providers on the skills development needs of the sector.

Read the full report here.