We believe that as a student your first day at Futureworks IS your first day as an industry professional and our aim is to respond to your motivations for entering higher education by supporting you to build a platform from which to launch your future career as a media professional.
The media industry is developing rapidly, so much so last year there was a 7.3% increase in the number of jobs in the Creative Economy held by individuals with a higher education qualification reaching a total of 62% (DCMS – Creative Industries: Focus on Employment Report – June 2016).
Reacting to this positive trend Futureworks deliver to our students bespoke training that will give them the opportunity to reach the highest level of employability within their studies so that they can develop key professional skills such as teamwork, communication, networking and project management all of which boost confidence and enhance the required professional ethic.
“Futureworks ignited my journey into the visual effects industry, fostering my growth across the entire VFX pipeline, granting me a robust foundation of generalist skills. Through Futureworks’ invaluable industry connections, I secured my first role as a 3D generalist shortly after finishing my final assignment.”
How we can help you forge a career
Each year Futureworks students are invited to various careers and employability events – see how you can get involved!
This year saw our second employability day, with guests discussing professional subjects such as freelancing, CVs, portfolios, pitching and networking, with the event culminating in a panel discussion featuring Alumni sharing their advice and industry experience with our current undergraduates from each School.
Continuing development and employability is integrated into each course, with guest lectures, field trips and freelance workshops taking place throughout the academic year.
Work experience and job opportunities along with industry news are shared in our monthly Careers And Employability Newsletter and our Futureworks Alumni and Graduate LinkedIn group.
MyFutureworks, our Virtual Learning Environment, is where our student community interact online by networking, collaborating and accessing our knowledge base and online resources.
Our tutors are all currently practising in industry, and are ideally placed to involve and integrate our students into their commercial projects, affording our students a wealth of practical knowledge and experience.
Degree students are also invited to UCLan’s Careers Fair events – for more information click here.
For more information please contact our Industry Coordinator, Pete Jenkinson, on 0161 214 4600 or email careers@futureworks.ac.uk
Futureworks is continually developing and expanding its base of industry partnerships. Freelancers, businesses and trade organisations from across the media sector engage in our curriculum and course delivery as partners, collaborators or guest lecturers, giving guidance and offering internships and work experience opportunities.
Our staff team are industry practitioners ensuring integration of current and cutting edge professional practice into our academic courses. This industry focus sets Futureworks apart from other HE Institutions and enhances our students’ employability.
Recent collaborations include: Unreal Engine, AMS-Neve, Verbal Vigilante Music, UnConvention, Shutterstock Music , Avid, Zoom, iZotope, SuperByte Festival, Paper Vision Films, Deft Ear, Outlook Festival, Musicians Union, Accredited Skills, Premium Beat, Woodwork Music, BBC, ITV, BECTU, Sankey’s, Enter the Pitch, UTC Events, Key Music Management.
Futureworks is constantly looking to build working relationships with professional organisations, please contact our Industry Coordinator, Pete Jenkinson on 0161 214 4600 or email careers@futureworks.ac.uk for more information.
Our degree students have access to the UCLan careers service and appointments can be made to visit the Preston Campus Careers Service.
Services
The following services are available through the UCLan careers service:
- E-guidance
- Telephone appointments
- Online information resources
- Online interview practice
- Job vacancy portal
- Online career courses
- Online CV builder
- Blackboard career resources
- Psychometric testing
- Campus events and careers fairs
- Careers blog and webinars
- Alumni connect
- @UclanCareers for careers updates
Disability advisor
There is also a specialist disability careers advisor who can offer advice to students who are deaf, have a health condition or have a disability. Information is available on:
- Disclosing disability at application or interview stage
- How the Equality Act (2010) may help or protect you and give you legal rights
- How to build confidence and self-esteem
- Access to work funding for equipment and adaptations
- Details of disability employment advisors in Job Centre Plus
- Links with disability related organisations
To book a careers appointment with the specialist disability careers advisor please ring 01772 895858 or email careers@uclan.ac.uk
Futureworks is internationally recognised for its cutting-edge media courses but most of all for its talented staff that share their professional knowledge whilst practising on a variety industry projects such as producing feature films, designing smartphone games, illustrating comics and producing music for adverts or bands.
Our tutors all continue to practise in the industry and are ideally placed to involve and integrate our students into their projects, giving practical knowledge and experience and keeping our courses on the cutting-edge of industry practices. Our Industry Advisory Group feeds directly into our Learning and Teaching Committee, ensuring our programs are comprehensive, intellectually stimulating, and finely tuned to industry demands.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Futureworks, pursuing a degree in Visual Effects. It was filled with intense learning, creativity, and countless hours developing my skill set. The tutors were always helpful and ready to go out of their way to give extra guidance when needed. Over the course of the degree, I feel I developed a strong set of connections. I was honoured to win an award at the end of my course and managed to secure a great industry job”