2010 skills development pressure for media, creative arts

MAPPP-SETA, the sector education and training authority responsible for the development of skills in the media and creative arts sector, has identified myriad creative arts skills as "scarce and critical".

Says Claudia Katz, CEO, CityVarsity, “The local film industry is growing exponentially – just look at the recent figures from the Western Cape film industry. It contributed at least R3.5 billion to South Africa's gross domestic product in the 2006 financial year alone. The public is aware that international film crews such as blockbuster movie Blood Diamond are arriving in droves as they divert their routes into the office or back home again due to another film set blocking roads.

“However, what they aren't aware of is that there is a serious skills gap in the local industry. Studying towards the creative arts is a financially viable career for young people in South Africa today.”

Recruit pool boost

Katz goes on to explain that areas needing a recruit pool boost are graphic design, photography, film direction, camera crew and sound technicians, to name but a few. Animation, for example, is under extreme pressure.

“Consider the Jock of the Bushveld animated film that is being produced in Nelspruit. They need 200 animators to complete the job – at best CityVarsity can offer two or three graduates as there simply are not enough entering the market.”

Highlighting the creative arts industry explosion, the deputy minister of Arts and Culture Ntombazana Botha pointed out during her Parliamentary budget speech in June this year that the creative industries have been identified by the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (Asgisa) as key areas of intervention that could see the country achieving its goals of increasing job opportunities and growth of the country's economy. “This is if enough graduates are provided to fill the positions – which is why institutions like CityVarsity are encouraging young people to consider the industry as a career option,” says Katz.

Beginning to feel pinch

The film industry is beginning to feel the skills shortage pinch as international filmmakers stand in line to book crew for the 2010 games. “M-Net has been affected, as have other broadcasters, as international teams continue to hire their best people to freelance during the World Cup. What this means is that M-Net need to replace their staff temporarily and is turning to us for support,” says Katz.

CityVarsity has in response to the skills gap introduced a new course to its stable, Television Studio Production. “Television is a major growth area in South Africa and consumes hours of programming every day. Because of this, the industry employs the most skilled technicians within the media and creative arts. Job opportunities abound in television news, sport, drama, music, variety, education and many other related fields. And as a technically-minded person with a creative streak, the industry provides employees with a stimulating, no-day-the-same-as-before type of environment.”

Graduates of the Television Studio Production course are equipped to join the ranks of TV studio directors, camera operators, lighting technicians, production managers, vision controllers, vision mixers and sound engineers and become part of this multi-disciplinary industry.

For more information, go to www.cityvarsity.co.za.