UK Screen Investment Programme partners, Hertfordshire Futures and University of Hertfordshire, have launched a trailblazing project to address the screen sector’s skills needs.
The Propeller Stages – a cutting-edge film studio designed to deliver top-tier training in creative and technical skills for the booming film and TV industry – was launched in response to the need to fill 20,000 to 50,000 job roles in the screen sector, arising from BFI and Screen Skills research.
“A plan to nurture a diverse workforce, concurrently addressing long-established barriers to entry for those from less privileged backgrounds, is long overdue,” Dr Stephen Partridge, Dean of School, Creative Arts, University of Hertfordshire said.
“The biggest challenge being to develop a diverse high calibre workforce at the scale required by the sector,” Stephen said. “If we can develop four functioning stages over the next 2-3 years, each producing 6-8 features per annum alongside other smaller production projects, then we’ll be achieving meaningful impact to support the workforce needs of the sector. Through close collaboration between educators, industry partners and the local council, I believe we are on course to achieve this in Hertfordshire, thus establishing a replicable model that can stimulate further growth and diversification across the country.”
Regarding the opportunities arising from The Propeller Stages, Adam Morley, Creative Sector Lead for Hertfordshire Futures, added: “The first pilot movie in 2023 was very successful. We’ve had decent outputs from that in terms of jobs and raising capital investment for the studio builds. We’re lining up productions too – there are hundreds, and we haven’t even announced the project yet.”
Alongside wide support from the screen industry, Adam explained too, how Propeller will grow the wider supply chain in Hertfordshire and beyond.
“We’re building a very healthy slate of content that will mean a steady supply of good jobs and good networks,” he said. “And I always use the same analogy, I can take a chippy learning the world of carpentry and one week, can get them onto a TV show, another week onto a feature film at Leavesden. Then, we get them into the panto at Watford Palace, then a UK tour with a pop-star and after that they can come home and do a loft extension in Hemel Hempstead.
“This is a sustainable new career portfolio for a young person and similarly, with older people who want to come back into the industry or want to retrain, we can offer the same pathway. You don’t have to be related to the executive producer to get a job. We are breaking down the barriers.”
Hertfordshire Futures also advocates for strengthening the talent pipeline by “expanding training initiatives, apprenticeships, and industry-led education programmes, allowing UK screen industries to remain competitive on the global stage.”
Jonathan Greenfield, Chief Executive, Oxygen Studios, noting the skills gap too, said: “It includes both creative and technical skills, as well as fostering a diverse, adaptable workforce. Upskilling the next generation of screen professionals ensures the industry stays dynamic and competitive.”
And like Hertfordshire Futures, he wants to see training extended into the supply chain: “From carpenters to directors, from prosthetics to hair and make-up – the sector provides an extremely diverse range of employment opportunities in an array of skills.”
He said government could support industry to “spread the word” on opportunities such as work experience, apprenticeships and further education schemes. “Awareness is however critical – the next generation need to know about the sector and feel as though they can be a part of it,” Jonathan added.
David Conway, Chief Executive, Pinewood Studios, emphasised the one-voice, collaborative approach and urged “better coordination and consistency on skills development initiatives” because “too many stakeholders” are “providing disparate offerings at present.”
A further emerging skills development is the need to confront and embrace Artificial Intelligence.
UK Screen Investment Programme leaders are urging their colleagues to embrace, rather than fear new tech. “Continued investment in studio facilities, post-production, and emerging technologies (such as virtual production, AI, and immersive storytelling) are needed to future-proof the industry,” said Celia.
Regarding the specific needs of the North West, MediaCityUK’s Richard Wormwell, Head of Production Innovation, Dock10, looked to new and emerging technology, saying “skills development initiatives in cutting-edge areas like virtual production and real-time rendering would strengthen the region’s appeal, making it a prime destination for both UK and international productions.”
The UK’s first national Research & Development facility for creative industries will open at Pinewood Studios in January 2026. The CoSTAR National Lab, a partnership with Royal Holloway, University of London, will offer cutting-edge virtual production technology with a large sound stage, alongside a series of lab spaces featuring spatial audio, volumetric capture and multisensory devices, as well as a private 5G/6G Network.
“We should embrace and position our nation at the front of technological innovation – emerging technologies like virtual production, AR/VR, and interactive storytelling, ensuring the industry adapts to new trends,” says Jonathan. “We should not shy away from the future, rather, we should embrace and harness the opportunities it presents our industry.”
To learn more about the UK Screen Investment Programme, visit the website.