The BFI, BAFTA albert and Screenskills have launched the UK’s first ever National Occupational Standards and skills checklists. These tools are aimed at standardising the skills of sustainable production roles on set.
The standards and checklists have been developed after significant consultation with crew and industry bodies working on productions in the UK and abroad. Combining insights from those on the ground with the training specialism of ScreenSkills, the sustainability expertise of BAFTA albert, and support and investment from the BFI through its Skills Fund awarding National Lottery funding.
The standards will not only be used to upskill a growing production workforce, focused on sustainability, but they will also create defined routes into the industry for those looking to make a difference. As part of its Skills Cluster programme, Screen Alliance North is exploring opportunities to pilot this training, working alongside regional initiatives such as the UN Accelerator City in Liverpool.
Meanwhile, the new skills checklists set out a three-tiered sustainability department and are a practical recruitment and training tool for producers looking to hire and upskill sustainability leads, coordinators, and assistants. They can also be used by crew to understand the skills and responsibilities expected in their roles.
Informed by extensive research on sustainable production practices around the world, the standards and checklists will provide a framework to train a skilled crew base for film and TV productions. These internationally-leading resources are the first of their kind and promote behaviour that will protect our environment, reduce carbon emissions, and create a more climate conscious production sector.
Both the National Occupational Standards and the skills checklists will be accessible via the ScreenSkills website and will be free for anyone to use.
Matt Scarff, Managing Director, BAFTA albert said:
“Sustainable practices on set need to be supported by the entire crew, however having someone dedicated with expert knowledge and insight is a guaranteed way to ensure impact. The National Occupational Standards and accompanying Skills Checklists will provide a vital resource and help plug a skills gap, equipping the screen industry with the tools and talent needed to cut emissions and help achieve net zero by 2050.”
Sara Whybrew, BFI’s Director of Skills and Workforce Development, said:
“The BFI is committed to helping set standards that better define occupational competence, and it has never been more important to do this for roles concerned with improving sustainability practices in production. We’re an industry that sometimes relies on informal recruitment approaches, so these skills checklists, underpinned by new national occupational standards, should be used to help the sector create greater consistency in the skills and knowledge needed to ensure we meet our sustainability ambitions. Furthermore, these standards now give us a necessary benchmark against which to set training so we know what ‘good’ looks like. This work also pays testament to the power of partnership, so I’d like to thank ScreenSkills and Bafta albert for their commitment to helping put these new skills standards in place with us.”
Tim Weiss, Director of Vocational Skills and E-learning at ScreenSkills said:
“We are delighted to see the launch of NOS for sustainability roles in the screen industries, and to combine these with skills checklists that can be used by productions when recruiting and training for crew in these essential departments. It has been inspiring to work closely with BFI and BAFTA albert on this project, to bring together expertise from across the sector into the creation of a unified set of resources to support employers and freelancers alike.”
Categories: Film & Digital
