Mission Accomplished, in collaboration with the Royal Grammar School (RGS),is to deliver a major North East expansion of Discover! Creative Careers’ programme to inspire more 11-18 year olds into creative careers.
The initiative, administered by ScreenSkills on behalf of the wider creative industries, is delivered in partnership with a steering group of nearly 30 creative industry, education, and careers organisations. At its heart is Discover! Creative Careers Week, now expanding to a month-long programme of industry encounters this November, is helping young people engage directly with professionals across TV, film, design, gaming, publishing and more.
The expansion comes at a critical time for the region. The Sutton Trust Opportunity Index (May 2025) revealed that Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West ranks lowest in England for social mobility. Disadvantaged pupils in the area face some of the steepest barriers to success, with significantly reduced access to qualifications, further education, and professional career routes. As part of the programme delivery for 2025-2026 will focus on preventing young people from losing touch with education or employment pre-18 as outlined in chapter 4 of the Youth Guarantee White Paper).
A work experience pilot will be run by Mission Accomplished with a focus on in-person placements aimed at Years 10 and 11, building on the Department for Education’s ambition for two weeks’ worth of work experience for all young people. Work experience placement(s) in years 10-11 enables students to experience a real working environment and begin to develop work-based skills and behaviours.
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Mission Accomplished will be leading this initiative, helping to open up access to meaningful work experiences for young people so they can explore the breadth of creative roles available, build confidence, and imagine futures they may not have thought possible.
Alison Grade, CEO at Mission Accomplished, said: “I am thrilled that Mission Accomplished has been selected to deliver the work experience pilot programme for Discover! Creative Careers. This important initiative 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’re also excited to be partnering with Royal Grammar School (RGS) Newcastle, who have a strong track record in delivering impactful programmes for young people in local schools. Their commitment to raising aspirations among young people aligns with our mission to open up access to creative careers.”
Geoffrey Stanford, headteacher, RGS Newcastle, added: “The North East region has a growing creative sector, and this programme inspires ambition in young people by opening their eyes to the exciting possibilities of a creative career. At RGS Newcastle, we are passionate about connecting education with the real world of work.
“Partnering with Mission Accomplished allows us to help disadvantaged students in our partner schools build confidence and bringcreative industries directly into the classroom. The programme enables students to explore future pathways and see that they have a place in the creative economy , regardless of their background.”Find out more here
The Discover! Creative Careers funded government initiative has received increased investment from the Department for Culture Media and Sport following the programme’s success in improving awareness of creative industry career paths for school students. The free to access programme will continue to support efforts to broaden and diversify the talent pipeline into the creative industries, whilst plugging skills gaps to boost productivity in one of the UK’s most important sectors.
