Creative and Media

David Kay, Specialist Industry Engagement Consultant
Warren Fearne, 3D Animator and Designer
Nigel Humberstone, Film Music Composer

Narrator: After holding an employer event, Sheffield Consortium began making individual contact with each employer who had attended.

David Kay: At our Employer Engagement event we set out a range of options, of how companies might be involved in our Diploma programme. Their choices would depend on the size, the amount of time they were able to put in, and the expertise they might be willing to bring to bear.

The important thing was to follow up that presentation of options with them as soon as possible after the event. We did that first of all by emailing them the presentation and options materials, and then following that up immediately with a telephone call.

That activity was undertaken by a sector specialist who was able to enter into specific dialogue with them, and to discuss any particular issues and also any good ideas they might have, and that proved to be a particularly fruitful process.

Warren Fearne: After the Creative Diploma event, Linda, from Sero Consulting, emailed us just to outline in which way, and what type of way we’d like to get involved with the Creative Diplomas, so it gave us a fairly good outline of how we could help.

Having one point of contact is really beneficial, because you build up that relationship between that contact firstly and also you know who exactly to go to, they understand your company, and there’s no confusion. So I think having one point of contact is really the best way forward.

David Kay: Early in the development of our employer engagement for the Diplomas, we put together a document which proved to be vital throughout the process. It was a two page document that set out the strategy for employer engagement, and also the options with which employers would be presented. We used that document as the basis for the presentation, at the event, we gave it out to each of the delegates, and followed on by sending it in the email to those who attended.

Furthermore, when we followed up with our telephone calls, seeking to gain commitments, that document provided the script as we worked through the opportunities and the options with each employer. We felt sure that they regarded this as a consistent and professional approach and therefore felt more reassured to be able to respond.

Finding the most appropriate means of communication with employers and with freelancers is essential to the success of employer engagement, both in establishing initial contact and in maintaining those relationships. From the perspective of the Creative and Media Diploma, we were very conscious that email is a well established and well accepted method of communication.

Nigel Humberstone: I think in this day and age, it’s best to be contacted as a small industry, and as a practising small company, it’s best to be contacted by email rather than telephone. With emails you can answer them and view them at your own will. Whereas with telephones you’re, if you’re busy in the middle of a project, you don’t want to be taking that call, so with emails it’s a lot more easy and more flexible.

END