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Pete Jenkinson wears many hats. He’s a Senior Lecturer, Head of our music label – 1043 Recordings, an award-winning documentary producer, Futureworks’ Industry Coordinator and head of our Industry Advisory Group. Being so busy, trying to pin Pete down for a short interview is not easy, and when you succeed, there’s so much to talk about! Over the coming weeks, thanks to Pete, we’ll be releasing features on 1043 Recordings, the Riverside Live Lounge Sessions, upcoming music events, and alumni success. Still, for this feature, we’re focusing on our Industry Advisory Group (IAG) and why it plays such an essential role within Futureworks.
Pete, how did the IAG come about, and what was your intention when you created it?
“I’d noticed that other universities and colleges were inviting people from industry into their establishment to act as advisors. Given that Futureworks has always been embedded in the industry with active industry professionals and a clear focus on preparing students for the real world, it seemed an obvious next step to create the Industry Advisory Group, which we founded in 2020.”
“I wanted the IAG to create checks and measures for Futureworks and for us to bounce ideas off industry professionals to help shape our educational delivery. I wanted to build a formalised group of industry professionals, initially as a way of networking and getting our name out there, but also for our students to gain access to current industry opinions and developments. For Futureworks and our courses, I wanted the IAG to help us stay ahead of the game. I remember one of the first tasks set for the group was to take a look at our course content to ensure it was relevant for their industries and useful to students when they were seeking work and, most of all, to understand that what they were learning would give them the edge when applying for jobs.”
What is the role of the IAG today?
“The group has a direct pipeline to the Futureworks Learning and Teaching Committee, which feeds into the Academic Board and influences our Board of Directors. The IAG is an integral part of our organisation. The Learning and Teaching Committee is comprised of the Heads of School, so for anything that’s directly educational, they can liaise with the Industry Advisory Group for guidance and to explore whether what’s being taught is relevant to industry best practice and requirements”
“The Industry Advisory Group is now a vital cog in the wheel of how we operate, with their industry practice feeding directly into our educational delivery.”
So, does the IAG play a symbiotic role within Futureworks?
“Yeah, they learn from us as much as we learn from them. They help guide us in creating the correct talent needed for their businesses. The IAG is really beneficial to us, and we’re continually aware of how influential it can be on a day-to-day basis”
How is the IAG comprised? Are they all Alumni?
“No, they’re not all alumni; probably a quarter are ex-students, some from many years ago who are deep-seated in the creative industries. The remainder are industry professionals, and on average, we have, at any one time, twelve active members. It’s good to keep it at that level, as many opinions always fly around at the meetings. Also, you have to remember these are heads of businesses or have senior roles, so they have access to other people in their businesses and networks to seek advice. There’s an excellent balanced cross-section of professionals that represents the disciplines from all three schools at Futureworks.”
Who attends the IAG meetings?
“When we have IAG meetings, all heads of school and programme leaders attend, plus the Principal Student Partner which I feel is also crucial to the group’s success. This gives our students a presence so they can see how the educational delivery and the course design are shaped by IAG feedback. One of the best things about the connection via the Principal Student Partner is that any Futureworks student can request a subject or topic to be raised at an IAG meeting via their Student Partner, who’ll feed it up the chain to the Principal.”
“You can discover more about the current IAG members at the Industry Advisory Group page on the Futureworks website, and if students would like to ask the IAG a question they can talk to their Student Partner.”
Our thanks to Pete for finding the time to talk with us about the IAG. As mentioned earlier, we’ve got some great articles planned for the coming months that cover some of Pete’s other roles at Futureworks. These include a bio on Futureworks’ very own 1043 Recordings, the up-and-coming gig at the Eagle Inn in Salford on the 20th of December and some new Live Lounge Sessions coming soon on our YouTube Channel.
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If you’re seeking a higher education that will provide you with a degree and the vocational skills, experience and know-how needed for a rewarding career in animation, illustration, game art, games design, music production, sound & audio engineering, game & interactive audio, independent filmmaking, post production or visual effects, then book an open day at Futureworks and discover why we’re the UK’s leading Higher Education provider for specialist degrees tailored for a creative career.