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Transition year students to discover careers in Ireland’s screen industry
- The first programme of its kind in Ireland aims to inspire young people to consider careers in film and screen media.
- Atticus Education awarded Screen Ireland funding to deliver innovative skills development initiative for transition-year students with support from University College Cork.
- Led by Oscar-winning producer Lord David Puttnam, the programme offers students the opportunity to discover the diverse opportunities available across the Irish and international film industry.
Transition year students will be introduced to Ireland’s thriving screen sector on a programme run by Atticus Education, the online education company chaired by Lord David Puttnamm, with support from University College Cork (UCC). The programme has been awarded funding from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland (Screen Ireland) through the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme.
The ‘Screen Careers for Transition-Year Students’ programme offers an industry-focused programme which is designed to highlight the vast professional opportunities that exist across the screen sector and the latest developments that are open to a new generation of creative thinkers and makers.
In 2023, there was a total screen industry production spend of €322 million in the Irish economy across film, television drama, documentary and animation production. The screen industry across film, digital media, animation and virtual reality has produced award-winning successes across the world, including An Cailín Ciúin, God’s Creatures and Small Things Like These.
The programme responds to a growing need for skilled professionals across Ireland’s screen sector. A recent Screen Ireland report identified the challenges to future growth for the industry with a shortage of key skills and crew inhibiting the industry. It identifies the need for Ireland to respond to the global opportunity, by supporting the development of talent, companies and the workforce in a sustainable way.
Lord David Puttnam said: “Ireland’s screen industry needs enthusiastic, ambitious and creative young people to see it as a viable and attractive career pathway. The industry is globally competitive and burgeoning, with film, documentary and animation receiving international acclaim. This success is a testament to the skill and passion of all those working across the screen industry. Our programme aims to encourage young people to pursue a career in the screen industry by teaching them about the sector, and the importance of filmmaking today.”
Dr Ciara Chambers, Head of the Department of Film & Screen Media at UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, said: “Ireland is renowned for our creativity and innovation, our dramatic coastlines and landscapes, and our highly skilled crews. Talent and skills development are key to supporting a thriving screen sector in Ireland - there aren't enough skilled professionals to take up the jobs available. Through this programme, we hope to inspire students to consider the many creative pathways available.”
Commenting on the award funding, Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, said: “Screen Ireland is delighted to announce the recipients of the Screen Stakeholders Fund for 2024. This year showcases a wide and diverse range of skills development programmes and initiatives. The proposals address strategic priority areas for the Irish screen industry, including leveraging creative IP; Irish language development and the exploration of new formats, from AI to immersive technologies. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive impact these initiatives will bring to the Irish screen industry over the next year.”
The programme, running in Spring 2025, is designed for students passionate about film, TV, cinema, gaming, and animation, or with a keen interest in global affairs, who are keen to know more about the opportunities that exist across the screen sector.
Applications are now open to schools in Munster only. Six schools will be selected and each will be able to nominate four transition-year students to partake in the course. Applications close on 15 November 2024.
The programme will be led by Oscar-winning producer Lord David Puttnam and his team at Atticus Education. Students will attend six online seminars with David, gaining invaluable insights into the film-making process and pathways to screen careers. There will be one end-of-programme, in-person, networking event hosted by UCC in late Spring 2025 with David and other industry leaders.
For more info, visit the programme website