Creative & Digital Media Foundation Apprenticeship
The Scottish Creative Economy is booming with excellent opportunities for careers across creative industries. The Foundation Apprenticeship in Media gives pupils the opportunities to develop a range of practical and soft skills to prepare for work or further study within the sector. The team at Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum reflect on their time with foundation apprentices.
The Project
In 2019, The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum supported its first Foundation Apprenticeship, taking on three Creative & Digital Media Foundation Apprentices. The museum Director, Caroline Mathers, was delighted to work alongside young talent who helped revitalise and diversify the workplace. In partnership with Forth Valley College, the pupils worked for 6 hours every week and participated in creating social media posts and were encouraged to create their own digital projects.
"I would say that my time at The Smith was beneficial for me as the variety of tasks taught me about the workings of the museum and gave me an insight into social media promotion i.e., what types of posts are most effective. Working there has deepened my appreciation for media and if I had the chance to do it again I would. It was a fantastic opportunity to learn and develop skills in this way."
Adam, Creative & Digital Media Foundation Apprentice
The impact it has made
The experience has left a long-lasting impact within our museum.
• Having extra talent to help with tasks was useful and helped us develop good quality digital media in a cost-effective way.
• We are constantly seeking new opportunities to engage with young people in our community and the FA programme offered us a way to do this.
• The collaboration was highly beneficial for both parties and we hope to offer more opportunities to young people in the future.
"I really enjoyed my time at The Smith museum. I learnt a great amount about social media marketing such as identifying target audiences, collecting insights and what content is most effective, as well as learning about the museum."
Emma (17), Creative & Digital Media Foundation Apprentice
Lessons Learned
Initially, we were given a set of tasks that the
apprentices must complete, however, soon we
realised that there is a lot of room for flexibility.
We were able to alter the tasks so it could benefit
both their education process and our museum.
For example, as they were given a task to produce a short documentary, we suggested that they investigate a topic which the museum could learn from. This led Adam and Emma to explore a challenge that The Stirling Smith has faced for a long time – young people disengagement. They invited their peers for interviews and soon provided us with solid evidence for improvement.
Guidance
We would suggest designating one person from
your staff to act as a point of contact for the
apprentices. It can be an intimidating and
stressful situation for the young people to be in,
so having someone they know they can turn to is
beneficial for all.
• Taking part in foundation apprenticeships is a
great chance for you to network with other
organisations who are participating in this
project. Collaborate with them and their
apprentices on joint projects. Wonderful
opportunity for all to grow.
• Be pro-active and take your time to get to know
your apprentices. This is a unique opportunity for
you to learn about their interests and values.
Great for market research and keeping your
organisation up to date with the latest trends
Further Information
If you would like more information about this project please contact:
Caroline Mathers, Director, Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Dumbarton Road, Stirling, FK8 2RQ, 01786 471 917: caroline@thesmith.scot
Enija Zelmene, Digital Media Producer, Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, 07718843969:
enija@thesmith.scot