What Creative & Cultural Skills represents

We represent individuals and businesses operating in contemporary and heritage crafts, including makers, curators, craft researchers, tutors, and craft galleries and retailers.

Craft forms include, but are not restricted to, ceramics, glass, graphic crafts, heritage crafts, iron and stone, jewellery and silversmithing, musical instrument making, textiles and leatherwork, toys and automata, and woodturning.

The Craft Blueprint – a workforce development plan for craft in the UK

Based on our work with the craft sector, we have produced the Craft Blueprint: a workforce development plan for craft in the UK. Developed in partnership with the Crafts Council, the Craft Blueprint identifies a range of recommendations to address urgent craft skills issues. Key areas for skills development identified by the sector are:

• expand entry routes and diversify the workforce
• enhance leadership, professional development and business support
• review craft qualifications
• reinvigorate craft education in schools
• raise the ambition of the sector

Our work with the sector

• We have developed careers advice specifically for the craft sector on our website Creative Choices°
• We offer craft employers the chance to take on an Apprentice in a wide range of areas through our Apprenticeship Training Service
• Leadership development opportunities are on offer through the Cultural Leadership Programme, the Creative & Cultural Skills Scotland Leadership Programme and the Creative & Cultural Skills Northern Ireland Leadership Programme
• We have developed new National Occupational Standards in Jewellery , in partnership with the Goldsmiths Company
• We have produced new National Occupational Standards in Craft , the first ever for the sector
• We produce labour market research about the craft sector, including its size, its contribution to the economy, and demographic data
• We are developing a new strategy to reform qualifications in the craft sector

Be part of our work

If you work in the craft sector, you can get involved as follows:

• Join us in raising awareness of craft skills issues
• Become a delivery partner for one or more recommendations in the Craft Blueprint
• Invest in the delivery of the Craft Blueprint
• Contribute to our review of craft qualifications
• Employ an Apprentice as an entry-level employee in your organisation

For further information or to register your interest please contact engagement@ccskills.org.uk

Getting into the craft sector

Creative Choices° is an online service offering resources and inspiration for careers in the creative and cultural industries.