Next Generation Creatives

Work Experience ProgrammeOpening New Creative Pathways for StudentsAimed at Year 10 and Year 11 Trailblazers

Mission Accomplished is proud to be delivering the Discover! Creative Careers Work Experience Pilot Programme, funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). This national initiative will give young people meaningful, hands-on experience in the creative industries — helping them understand the breadth of career possibilities and build skills that last a lifetime.

This opportunity is specifically targeted at students in state education, as part of our commitment to widening access and tackling barriers to entry within the creative industries.

We’re especially focused on engaging students in Years 10 and 11, ensuring that creative career exploration happens at a pivotal point in their education.

Discover Creative Careers is a government funded, industry-led programme that is working to ensure there is a larger and more diverse intake of talent via a broader range of routes into the creative industries. The free to access hybrid programme of activities and resources offers meaningful encounters with industry professionals, online tools, training and support throughout the year. Its annual flagship Discover! Creative Careers event takes place every November, connecting thousands of young people with hundreds of workplaces to give hands-on insight into the creative industries.

The delivery of Discover! Creative Careers is led by ScreenSkills in partnership with over 25 organisations and through collaboration with industry, education and careers professionals.

Too often what I hear from young people is that they could no more dream of getting those jobs than going to the moon.

Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, speaking at the Creative Industries Summit

Limited Spaces: Real ExperienceReal DeadlinesReal Impact

More than two million people are employed in the creative industries in the UK, and the cultural sector accounts for £31bn in gross value added to the UK economy.

Whether you’re a budding games designer, costume maker, architect, or just curious about what it’s like to turn imagination into a career, the New Generation Creatives programme is your launchpad into the industry.

National Reach and Regional Commitment

If you are a school or creative business based in the following areas and would like to get involved, please get in touch.

West Midlands

West Midlands

Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford & Wrekin, Walsall, Warwick, Wolverhampton

East Midlands

East Midlands

Chesterfield, Derby, Leicester, Nottingham

North East

North East

County Durham, Gateshead, Middlesborough, Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland

South West

South West

Bath and Northeast Somerset, Bristol, Cheltenham, Plymouth, Exeter, Cornwall

 

While our core school network is based in the Midlands, we are fully committed to national delivery — and have already taken significant steps to ensure deep engagement in the North East and South West.

Alongside our own national school engagement programme, we’re proud to be collaborating with RGS Newcastle, who are committed to expanding creative opportunities for all schools and colleges in their region.

Benefits of Next Generation Creatives For SchoolsFor StudentsFor Businesses

Benefits

For Schools

Students in Year 10 / 11 can participate in a 3-day, in-person work experience within a creative industry in line with Gatsby Benchmarks 5 & 6.

  • Accessible to 600 students across 100+ secondary schools across multiple regions.
  • Assured inclusivity of SEND students and underrepresented groups.
  • Delivered in line with DfE’s ambition to encourage meaningful employer encounters and work experience opportunities.
  • Aligns with Statutory Guidance on Careers Provision in Schools (2023), contributing to the goals of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act.

Benefits

For Students

There are many career opportunities in the Creative Industries. What will you achieve by completing work experience?

  • A chance to see what it’s really like to work in a creative role like design, media, fashion, film, or marketing and performing arts.
  • Gain practical experience with tools, software and creative processes that aren’t taught in school.
  • Work in a real environment that will help build independence, communication skills, and self-belief.
  • Learn new skills that are valuable to employers in the creative industries.

Benefits

For Businesses

Provide students with a valuable, authentic view of how the creative industry works – something many don’t get in school.

  • Young people bring new, trend-aware thinking and creative energy that can inspire your team.
  • By offering real-world experience, you help break down barriers and misconceptions about creative careers.

  • Students can get involved with tasks such as research, content generation, admin or idea development.

  • We can provide further guidance around working with young people and maximising the experience for both you and the students.

About Mission Accomplished

Mission Accomplished is an OFSTED-registered training provider with a long history of delivering innovative, creative work experience and engagement programmes for secondary-aged learners. We’ve already led successful pilots involving over 200 students and 30 creative employers, and we work nationally with a network of over 100 schools.

I am thrilled that Mission Accomplished has been selected to deliver the work experience pilot programme for the Next Generation Creatives Work Experience Programme. This important initiative, funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, plays a vital role in connecting young people with the UK’s diverse and dynamic creative industries. Meaningful work experience is a powerful way to open doors and spark ambition – it gives young people, across the UK, a real insight into the diverse range of possibilities a creative career can offer. We can’t wait to create experiences that open doors and spark real excitement about the future.

Alison Grade, CEO, Mission Accomplished