Simulated Work Environment

Hybrid Arts provide volunteer work placements for young adults. Our placements give volunteers the opportunity to experience first-hand what life is like in a simulated studio environment within the creative industries. Volunteers have access to studios equipped with industry-standard hardware and software, and the opportunity to mix and collaborate with other professionals and practising artists.

Hybrid Arts have established relationships with a number of organisations and professionals from across the creative industries. Our central positioning within the industry puts our users at the heart of the creative sector, encouraging them to develop skills in a dynamic environment geared towards creativity and enterprise. Hybrid Arts is home to a small, lively team of artists working across a diverse range of fields, making for a working environment which is the antithesis of the conventional office mould.

If you are interested in a Hybrid Arts placement, please get in touch.

Future Outlook

In the current economic climate, the need for re-skilling and boosting the confidence of a growing marginalised workforce will be crucial.

Unemployment has risen particularly sharply for young people; the jobless rate among 18 to 24 year olds is 16.1%, more than twice the increase than among 29 to 50 year olds. In the West Midlands, there are nearly 55,000 young people (aged 18–24) in the region claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance, equating to more than one in ten young people (claimant rate 10.6%). This is the highest youth claimant rate among the English regions. The West Midlands has been the worst affected of all the regions with unemployment increasing by more in this region (3.1 percentage points) than any other over the year to October 2009.

Hybrid Arts are passionate about the role creative technology and related art forms have to play in equipping people for the future.

The wider picture for the creative industries

Produced by the LSC, Talent 2 Market is a review of education and training in the creative and media sector. The result of concerted efforts from creative and media employers, educational providers, skills and training agencies, Talent 2 Market was the first creative and media skills review of its kind, produced in 2008. Hybrid Arts were fortunate to have a live presentation by Michael Ryan, Creative Skills Development Manager at the LSC, before the report was published. The review is valuable in creating a more focused and relevant skills offer in the region and the UK as a whole. It is aimed at assisting employers and providers to make the most of the aspiring, diverse and talented people of the West Midlands. According to Jonnie Turpie, founder of Maverick Television, “in carrying out the review it has become clear that skills and competencies in the creative industries are valuable across sectors. It is also clear on our fast changing economy that skills have to be grown from an earlier and earlier age if young people are to extend themselves and gain employment. These must cross academic, vocational, enterprise and market focused skills.”

The review highlights two major challenges. For providers, there is currently an oversupply of a myriad of courses, which needs to be more focused and simplified with greater attend paid to industry and enterprise skills. For employers, there is a depth of work based and related learning opportunities. The full report can be downloaded here talent2market